This copper engraving is from a remarkable series of publications, illustrating voyages of discovery and travels of exploration to various parts of the world. The project was begun by Theodore de Bry of Frankfurt, in 1590 and was to continue for another 54 years. They became known collectively as the Grands Voyages (to America and the West Indies) and the Petits Voyages (to the Orient and the East Indies). De Bry died after the first six parts of the Grands Voyages were completed. The project was completed initially by his widow and two sons, Johann Theodore de Bry and Johann Israel de Bry, then by his son-in-law, Matthaus Merian in 1644.

This set of five engravings is from de Bry's Petits Voyages, Part III, and includes the title page for the section on India. Each engraving appears on a full sheet of German text.

Plate I. An encounter with pirates on the Malabar coast
Plate II. A Portuguese ship is wrecked on its way to Goa in India
Plate III. A Portuguese armada is destroyed by the Turks
Plate IV. How in the town of Goa, a wife assisted in the murder of her husband
Plate V. A great earthquake on the island of St. Michael (near Seychelles in the Indian Ocean)

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Condition: B+

Crisp engravings with very light soiling and marginal chips, tears and worm holes. The bottom of each sheet has an old paper repair that has caused moderate toning. There are two tears in the title page that have been repaired with old paper.