Period

18th Century

Featured Items

Detail from the binding of a manuscript codex shows text in Spanish "3. Soledad."

Spiritual autobiography

María de San José
1703-1710
Detail from a printed text shows questions and follow-up answers about astronomy.

An astronomical and geographical catechism. For the use of children.

Caleb Bingham
1795
Detail of a printed book shows a full-page colored illustration of a plant with insects on it. On the opposite page, text in Latin is visible.

Dissertatio de generatione et metamorphosibus insectorum Surinamensium

Maria Sibylla Merian
1719
Detail of an engraved map of Azilia shows a castle in the center of the city, surrounded by farms and four quadrants.

A plan representing the form of setling the districts, or county divisions in the Margravate of Azilia

1717
Detail of a printed book shows a decorated title page depicting an illustration of Sor Juana, angels, indigenous people, and text in Spanish and Latin.

Fama, y obras posthumas del Fenix de Mexico

Juana Inés de la Cruz
1700
Detail of a hand colored manuscript map shows villages labeled in Spanish such as "Pueblo de S. Pablo" and "Pueblo de Huitziltzinco." Churches, trees, and bodies of water are also included in the map.

El presente mapa demuestra la cituacion, plano, y repartimiento, que en la actualidad tienen los arroyos, que bajan de Sierra Nevada…

Felipe de Zúñiga y Ontiveros
1770
Detail of an engraved city plan of Queretaro shows numbered blocks in the city layout.

Ordenanza que para la division de la m. noble y leal ciudad de Santiago de Queretaro en cuarteles menores, creacion de alcaldes de ellos, y reglas para su gobierno.

1796
Detail of a printed book shows text in French that indicate foods such as "Pain Frais" and "Biscuit" with corresponding amounts in ounces.

Composition de la ration des gens de mer

French Admiralty
1785

Related

Image of Peruvian Print Shop
Lecture

Historia del libro en lenguas originarias de América

colorful eighteenth-century map of the northern coast of Hispaniola
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Plano y Descripcion Del Puerto del Guarico questa en la Ysla Española…, 1736

August 30, 2020
colorful 18th century map of part of West Africa
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Carte du Cours des Fleuves du Sénégal et de Gambie Dédiée et Présentée à Monsieur le Duc de Lauzun…, 1779

July 31, 2020
Native Americans of present-day Mexico dance around two drummers

Picturing the Past: Indigenous Expressions in Colonial Mexico

Spring 2020
printed title page with text in Spanish
In House

Diario de las operaciones de la expedicion contra la Plaza de Panzacola...

February 24, 2020
engraved and hand-colored map of northeastern North America including present-day Maine to Virginia
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Recens Edita totius Novi Belgii, in America Septenrionali…, 1730

November 26, 2019
Printed fold-out map shows topography of Colombia in great detail. Includes decorative cartouche, illustration of two naked people sitting facing each other, and scales.

200 Years of Colombian Independence

image of an open book with a colorful image of insects on a tropical plant and printed text

By a Lady: Women and Natural History in the Americas, 1650-1830

September 2019

See Also

Indigenous History

Indigenous Languages