Trata dalli Scritti & ragionamenti di Odoardo Lopez Portoghese Per FILIPPO PIGAFETTA Com dissegni Vari di Geografia di piante, d’habiti, d’ animali, & altro. IN ROMA Apresso Bartolomeo Grassi. [1594]

In 4.º de 23x16 cm. Com [viii], 82, [ii], pags. Ilustrado 8 gravuras de página dupla.

Encadernação da época em pergaminho.

Belo frontispício gravado com portada arquitectónica com o brasão do Bispo de S. Marcos.

Exemplar completo de texto e gravuras mas com falta de 2 mapas desdobráveis, o que é costume nos exemplares.

Adams L. BM (STC IT) 392. CCBE s. XVI P 1716. Yale University Library (HPB).

 In. 4 (23x16 cm) with [viii], 82 [ii], pags.

Binding: contemporary flexible vellum, minor dent damage in the exterior vellum spine.

Illustrated 8 double-page engravings. Beautiful engraved architectural frontispiece with the coat-of-arms of the Bishop of S. Marcus. Complete copy with text and pictures. However missing the 2 folding maps (map Kingdom of Congo and the map of Africa with its interior) which is today usual in the copies available.

Edition of the work printed in Rome (first edition in 1591) by Bartolomeo Grassi. This work contains the information given by the portuguese Duarte Lopes to the italian Filippo Pigafetta, in Rome, between 1588 and 1589. This book, according to Rosa Capeans, is of transcendent value to the history and geography of Africa.

Duarte Lopes left Portugal for the Congo in April, 1578, and spent several years there. In spite of his efforts as embassador of the King of the Congo he was unable to interest either the Pope or Philip II in sending missionaries or traders there. He collaborated in this work with Pigafetta, whose intention was to collect from Lopes all the information he could gather concerning the Congo and other parts of Africa. The title of the later English translation shows the scope of the work: “A Report of the Kingdom of Congo, a Region of Africa. And the countries that border round about the same. 1. Wherein is also showed that the two zones Torrida and Frigida, are not only habitable, but inhabited and very temperate, contrary to the opinion of the old philosophers. 2. That the black colour which is in the skins of the Ethiopians and Negroes, etc, proceedeth not from the Sun. 3. And that the river Nilus springth not out of the mountains of the Moon… together with the cause rising and increasing thereof. 4. Besides the description of divers Plants, Fishes and Beasts, that are found in those countries”. Up to the middle of the 19th Century this was still one of the chief sources of authentic information concerning Central Africa.