Rare and richly illustrated early 18th-century travel book titled "Beschryving van Spanjen en Portugal" ("Description of Spain and Portugal")

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Rare and richly illustrated early 18th-century travel book titled "Beschryving van Spanjen en Portugal" ("Description of Spain and Portugal"), published … Read more Rare and richly illustrated early 18th-century travel book titled "Beschryving van Spanjen en Portugal" ("Description of Spain and Portugal"), published in 1707 by Pieter van der Aa in Leiden. This Dutch edition is a translation of the original French work "Les Délices de l'Espagne et du Portugal" by Alvarez de Colmenar, originally issued the same year. While the French version was divided into five volumes, this Dutch edition compiles the entire content into a single, comprehensive volume.

The book offers an in-depth geographical, political, and cultural survey of Spain and Portugal, showcasing their cities, customs, landscapes, and monuments as they appeared in the early 18th century.

Lavishly illustrated with:
1 large folding map of Spain and Portugal
164 in-text engravings, nearly half-page in size, including:
Regional and city maps
Views of towns, ports, and landmarks
Depictions of local customs and costumes
A large folding coastal panorama of Barcelona

This is considered one of the most important illustrative travel books of the early 18th century focused on the Iberian Peninsula.

Condition:
Overall very well preserved. The first four pages show some humidity stains, visible in the photographs. Binding is firm. The cover is a strong period-style antique cartonnage. All plates and maps appear complete.

Dimensions:
21.7 × 32.5 cm (approx. 8.5 × 12.8 inches)

Publisher:
Pieter van der Aa, Leiden, 1707
(MDCCVII – With privilege) See less