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 sheet features two engravings that first appeared in Part XI of de Bry's Grands Voyages in 1620, and were republished in Johann Ludwig Gottfried's Newe Welt und Americanische Historien, a collection of voyages. Both engravings capture events from Joris van Spilbergen's voyage around the world. The engraving on recto depicts the fleet landing in Valparaiso, skirmishing with a Spanish ship, and burning Spanish homes. (It is possible that some of the events described here actually took place in Santiago.) A couple of Indigenous figures in the foreground at left display the local dress. The engraving on verso depicts van Spilbergen's ships arriving in the bay of Quintero, just one day after their exploits in Valparaiso. Again, they fight with the Spanish; an Indigenous family appears in the foreground. On a sheet of German text measuring 8.0 x 12.8".

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Condition: A

Nice impression with a vertical printer's crease at bottom and marginal toning.