Histoire Naturelle des Indes
11 of 122
Accession number: MA 3900
Credit: The Morgan Library & Museum. Bequest of Clara S. Peck, 1983.
Title: Histoire Naturelle des Indes [supplied on an 18th century title page]
Contents: 199 images of West Indian plants, animals and human life, with accompanying manuscript captions written in late sixteenth-century French.
Medium: Most of the illustrations consist of a black chalk underdrawing and a combination of pen and brown ink with watercolor; on some images selected areas have also been glazed with a gum.
Dimensions: Binding: 30 x 21 cm; individual leaves: 29.3 x 19.7 cm.
Binding: Bound or rebound in brown leather in the late 18th century.
Pagination: Penciled folio numbers (1–125) in lower right corner of each page were added by The Morgan Library & Museum. Folios 92v–93, 93v–94, and 95v–96 are fold-out leaves.
Histoire Naturelle des Indes
Patates (Sweet Potato)
The Indians use this fruit as excellent nourishment and cook it with meat in a pot or braise it; it originates in the earth; is shaped like a root, and one can multiply it by cutting small pieces which one plants like a seed which grows.
Pimente (Pimento)
It is called in the language of the Indians "Hagis" and "poivre de Bresil" in French.
Coqves (Coconut Tree)
Fruit growing on a tree like a nut. After removal of the first shell two eyes and a mouth like those of a fish appear containing very good nourishment white in color. There also is within the shell an exquisite liquid for quenching the thirst of persons having a fever.
Histoire Naturelle des Indes
Illustrated manuscript, ca. 1586
Bequest of Clara S. Peck, 1983; MA 3900 (fol. 10v–11)
