Mercante Guideo [Jewish Merchant], hand-colored engraving, from the travel book of French geographer Nicolas de Nicolay. [Venice, 1580]. Italian.
A fine engraving depicting a Jewish textile merchant, in a costume typical of Turkish Jews. The engraving was printed in the book "Le Navigationi Et Viaggi, Fatti Nella Turchia", by Nicolas de Nicolay (Venice, 1580). This book, first published in France, records the journey of the geographer Nicolas de Nicolay in Turkey on a mission on behalf of the French government. The book includes much information about the inhabitants of the Turkish Empire and their traditional costumes, and is considered one of the earliest and most accurate depictions of the Islamic world to appear in Europe.
19.5X28 cm leaf, mounted on a thick paper leaf with a "window" cut on the back (so that it is possible to see the text on the back of the engraving). Good-fair condition. Creases, some stains and blemishes. Stains on paper frame, and adhesive tape on top and bottom margins.