1136 - Pieter van der Aa, Two sheets with scenes of Turkey, Constantinople, Dardanelles, Leiden circa 1729

Pieter van der Aa, Two sheets with scenes of Turkey, Constantinople, Dardanelles, Leiden circa 1729 (1659 – 1733), Dutch publisher, copper engraving on paper with watermark (fleur-de-lis), inscribed in the plate, each titled below the views, two sheets each with four figurative scenes in ornamental frames, 1) “Bayram, ou divertissemens des Turcs à leur Paque.”, “Reverence pratiquée par les Turcs à leurs Saints.”, “Punition des Boulangers & Bouchers frauduleux à Constantinople.” and “Punition cruelles des Chretiens, qui ont commis Adultere avec des Femmes Turques.”, 2) “Les Dardanelles autrefois Sestos & Abydos.”, “Bains des Turcs.”, “Maison des Esclaves & comment on y traitte les Novices.” and “L'Enchainement des Esclaves Chretiens de condition en Turquie.”, from “La Galerie Agreable du Monde”, Leiden circa 1729, centre fold, good condition commensurate with age, somewhat stained and browned at the margins, image 33.5x41.5 cm (HxW), overall size each 37x47 cm (HxW) The Leiden publisher Pieter van der Aa (1659–1733) began in 1683 with Latin editions of classical texts on medicine and the natural sciences and after 1700 increasingly specialised in geography and travel literature. His principal works include the travel collection “Naaukeurige versamling der gedenk-waardigste zee en land-reysen” (1706 to 1708, 28 volumes) and the “Atlas Nouveau” of 1710. His most extensive undertaking, “La Galerie agréable du monde”, was completed in 1729 and comprised 66 parts in 27 volumes, printed in an edition of 100 copies. Van der Aa advertised the plate work as a capital investment whose antiquarian value would double after publication. The two engravings with scenes from Turkey, from the Dardanelles to the Turkish bath, come from this work.