Voyage aux Indes orientales et à la Chine,. Fait par ordre du Roi,

The naturalist Pierre Sonnerat publishes on a 1782 his "Journey to the Indies Eastern and China", made since 1774 up to 1781 per Mr. Sonnerat, Paris, Froulé etc, 1782, illustrated on eighty boards, drawn by Sonnerat and engraved by Poisson. The engravings are divided into three books.140 engraved plates. A classic of natural history and discoveries in the Far East, including China, Ceylon, Malacca, the Philippines, Burma & the Maldives. The plates, beautifully engraved by Poisson after drawings by the author, are mostly of birds, flora & fauna, but include customs, religion, sciences and arts.

The book second is devoted entirely to the Indian Pantheon. If Sonnerat is a naturalist, in this volume I it represents neither plants nor animals, but attempts to reproduce scenes of everyday life, that it wants realistic and accounting for the various human types met. It illustrates also its remarks of some encyclopaedic engravings with didactic aiming, the third entirely delivers devoted to the Hindu gods is him decorated many representations of various the divinities of the Pantheon hindouist.. Sonnerat represents neither vegetation luxuriante indeed, nor strange animals to decorate its engravings, it is satisfied to represent what it sees.

All prints are whole page from a historic disbound book and are watercoloured engravings coloured originally NOT later tints etc any defects are noted the slight staining on some prints is enhanced by flash ie in life do not appear so noticeable