Benzoni, Girolamo | First edition of this scarce history of Central and South America

Benzoni, Girolamo

La historia del mondo nuovo ... La qual tratta dell'isole, & Mari nuovamente ritrovati, & delle nuove Città da lui proprio vedute, per acqua & per terra in quattordeci anni. Venice: Francesco Rampazetto, 1565

8vo (138 x 90 mm). Woodcut portrait of the author to title, 17 half-page woodcut illustrations of Native American manners and customs, historiated woodcut initials and headpieces to chapter sections; lacking the terminal blank, scattered browning and foxing, top edge trimmed closely with occasional minor losses to headlines, a few leaves mispaginated, discreet repairs to title, first two signatures (including title) repaired at gutter with evidence of old marginal worming, now touching three letters only on *3-4, marginal repairs to *2, S3, and Y6, minute worming to Y4-6 gutters, Y7 (colophon) worn and repaired, affecting text at top. 19th century Italian vellum, spine lettered in gilt, edges speckled red and blue; vellum stained, extremities bumped and lightly rubbed, later endpapers. Red morocco slipcase.

First edition of Benzoni's history of the New World, featuring early illustrations of indigenous Americans

Girolamo Benzoni was a Milanese of modest origins, who travelled extensively in the West Indies, and Central and South America from 1541-1556. His travels in the New World came to an end when the Spanish government — increasingly weary of outside influence — began to expel non-Spaniards from their colonies. Upon his return to Italy, Benzoni drew on his first-hand experiences, journals, and drawings for the preparation of La historia del mondo nuovo, one of the first published accounts of European settlement in America written from a non-Spanish standpoint. The text is particularly critical of their mistreatment of indigenous people, and it was foundational to the development of the Black Legend – the critical portrayal of the Spanish Empire as a uniquely exploitative colonial entity.

The woodcut illustrations of Native Americans included in Benzoni's work are preceded only by Thevet's Les Singularitez de la France Antarctique (1557), and Theodor De Bry later drew on them to produce parts IV-VI of his Grands Voyages (see lot 7).

We can trace only three other copies at auction in the last 75 years.

REFERENCE:

European Americana 565/2; Sabin 4790

PROVENANCE:

Salvatore Bertolotto (19th century inscription to front endpaper) — Martayan Lan (1998, purchased by the ensuing) —Bruce McKinney (his sale, Bloomsbury Auctions, New York, 3 December 2009, lot 35)