Theodor de Bry, An Aged Man in

his Winter Garment, c.1590, hand-coloured engraving. The town of Pomeiooc can be seen in the background.

Map Room Exhibition

Theodor de Bry – First Views of America

14 March – 1 November 2009

In the Map Room this year will be an exhibition of prints by Theodor de Bry (1527/28-1598), which will showcase some of the earliest views of America and its native peoples.

Theodor de Bry, a Flemish engraver, published several richly illustrated volumes based on first-hand accounts and drawings of the earliest encounters between Europeans and the New World. These remarkable images offer various perspectives of these then distant and foreign lands, particularly when viewed with 21st-century eyes - from lavishly illustrated travel accounts, to hard-hitting propaganda - to justify colonial exploitation.

This exhibition is also a testament to the craft and skills of the engraver and printer. The plates, from the 1590 edition of Thomas Hariot’s Virginia are particularly rare, having preserved much of their original vibrancy and guilding. So, whether as travelogues or instruments of imperialism, Theodor de Bry’s publications offer a spectacular insight into the differing peoples and lands of the Americas.