Fine Jesuit Binding, Nouvelle Relation de la Chine, Gabriel de Magalhaes, 1688

"Nouvelle Relation de la Chine"

Gabriel de Magalhaes

1688

Beautiful early Jesuit binding with gold lettering

TP, Preface, 385, Table

Missing folding map

Binding with wear to spine and edges. Good condition overall.

This is one of the most important European account of China from the second half of the 17th Century. Magalhaes was a Portuguese Jesuit who, after spending 6 years in Goa, travelled to China to work with the Kangxi emperor. He later established St. Joseph's Church in Peking. In this work he documented in this work the history, peoples, customs and Language of China. This is the first edition, translated from the original Portuguese into French. The work was important and was later translated into English and other languages.