Add MS 5253

Drawings of inhabitants of several parts of the world from a variety of sources.

Drawings 1-2, 8-11, 14-17, 23-25 and 28-29 are associated with the traveller and artist, John White (fl. 1577-1593). Hans Sloane commissioned watercolour copies from an album now in the British Museum Prints & Drawings (SL 5270), which belonged to a descendant of White. Sloane tried to purchase it, but when he couldn’t, he commissioned copies to be made of all of the drawings in it. These copies are scattered throughout this album (5253) but the copies Sloane had made of the birds and fish are in other Sloane albums in the British Library that deal with birds or fish. Sloane was eventually able to purchase the album from White’s descendants. See K. Sloan, ‘The Sloane volume with watercolours associated with John White’, in Kim Sloan et al., A New World: England’s First View of America (London: British Museum, 2007), pp. 224-33. Drawings 23-25 and 28-29 were copied from the woodcuts in Jean de Léry’s Histoire d’un voyage fait en la terre du Bresil (La Rochelle: Antoine Chuppin, 1578).

This album also contains the ‘26 Draughts of the inhabitants of several parts of the world especially the East Indies’, by Sylvester Brounower, servant of John Locke (1632-1704). The draughts were sent to the collector William Courten (1642-1702) in 1687. These have been identified as numbers 26-27, 31-37, 39-44, 46-56 by Mariana de Campos Françozo, '“Inhabitants of Rustic Parts of the World”: John Locke’s Collection of Drawings and the Dutch Empire in Ethnographic Types', History and Anthropology, 28 (2017), 349-74 (DOI: 10.1080/02757206.2016.1261856).

Drawings 57-80 are copied from John Nieuhof, Gezandtschap der Neêrlandtsche Oost-Indische Compagnie (Amsterdam: J. van Meurs, 1665), or its translation An embassy from the East-India Company of the United Provinces (London: J. Ogilby, 1673).

The pages are not numbered. The drawings are listed as numbered items in pencil. Folio number refers to the digital foliation.

[f. 3]

1: Roman soldier; Pen and ink, watercolour and bodycolour; After John White; Inscribed: ‘AN OLD ROMAN’S HABIT’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page. This appears to have been copied from Guillaume Du Choul, Discours sur la castrametation et discipline militaire des ancients Romains (Lyons: G. Rouille, 1567), p. 16.

[f. 4]

2: Doge of Genoa; Watercolour and bodycolour, with gold, over graphite; After John White; Inscribed above: ‘Duca de Genova 1575’ and ‘The Doge or Duke of Genoa 1575’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page. The source for this may have been Habitus praecipuorum populorum tam virorum quam feminarum singulari arte depicti (Nuremberg: H. Weigel, 1577), fig. CXII.

[f. 5]

3: An Irish woman, wearing a brown jacket, red skirt and green apron; Graphite, red chalk, watercolour and bodycolour; Inscribed on the left in the image: ‘handkerchief’ and ‘Irish Woman’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 6]

4: An Irish woman seen from behind, wearing a brown jacket, red skirt and green apron (as in no. 3); Graphite, red chalk, watercolour and bodycolour; Inscribed in the image: ‘red pettycoat’ and ‘handkerchief’ and below ‘Irish Woman’.

[f. 7]

5: An armed Scottish Highlander, holding a sword, dirk and targe, with a couple of guns on his belt; Graphite, watercolour and bodycolour; Inscribed below: ‘A Scotch Highlander armed’.

[f. 8]

6: A panoramic landscape with the Saami of ‘Lapland’ in the summer; Watercolour and bodycolour, over graphite; The text on a separate sheet, titled ‘The manner of the Laplanders living in Summer’, provides a legend to the numbered activities in the image.

[f. 9]

7: The Saami in ‘Lapland’ in winter, paying tax, etc.; Watercolour and bodycolour over graphite; The text on a separate sheet, titled ‘The manner of the Laplanders living in Winter’, provides a legend to the numbered activities in the image.

[f. 10]

8: The skirmish at Bloody Point; Pen and ink, watercolour and bodycolour; After John White; Inscribed: ‘The English in Queen Elizabeth’s Reign discover GRONELAND, land there & are oppos’d by ye Natives’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 11]

9: A portrait of Kalicho (or Kalksaq), an Inuit, with bow, arrow and paddle; Pen and ink, watercolour and bodycolour; After John White; Inscribed: ‘An Inhabitant of Groenland with his Oar & Arrow’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page. Kalicho had been captured on 19 July 1577 in Frobisher Bay and brought to England. He died in Bristol in November of the same year.

[f. 12]

10: A portrait of Kalicho (or Kalksaq), an Inuit, seen from the back, with bow, arrow and paddle; Pen and ink, watercolour and bodycolour; After John White; Inscribed: ‘The back parts of an inhabitant of GROENLAND’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 13]

11: A portrait of a female Inuit and her child; Pen and ink and watercolour; After John White; Inscribed: ‘A Woman of Groenland and her Child’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page. The woman and her child were captured in August 1577 and were brought to England with Kalicho (nos. 9-10). They died soon after Kalicho.

[f. 14]

12: An Inuit fishing with a tipped spear, with a cutting tool tied to his wrist; Watercolour; Inscribed below: ‘From the North of Hudsons Bay’.

[f. 15]

13: Drawing of the details of the clothing of the man in the previous drawing (no. 12); Watercolour; Inscribed below: ‘From the North of Hudsons Bay’.

[f. 16]

14: A view of the town of Pomeiooc; Pen and ink, watercolour and bodycolour; After John White; Inscribed above: ‘POMEIOOC’ and below ‘POMEIOOC an Indian Town palisaded, with their Houses, Fires and watering places’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 17]

15: An Indian werowance with a bow; Pen and ink, watercolour and bodycolour; After John White; Inscribed: ‘An Inhabitant of POMEIOOC in Virginia’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 18]

16: An elder from Pomeiooc; Pen and ink, watercolour and bodycolour; After John White; Inscribed: ‘An Aged man of POMEIOOC in his Winter’s Garments’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 19]

17: A young woman of Aquascogoc; Pen and ink, watercolour and bodycolour; After John White; Inscribed above: ‘OF AQUASCOGOE.’ and inscribed below: ‘An Inhabitant of Aquascogoc’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 20]

18: A native North American family, a man in a red cloth, carrying a bow and arrows and tomahawk, a woman in blue, both with tattoos, with a child in a papoose on the woman’s back and another holding a cob of corn; Watercolour and bodycolour over graphite; Inscribed: ‘The Indians in the Neighbourhood of NEW YORK’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 21]

19: A portrait of Tee Yee Neen Ho Ga Row, Emperor of the Six Nations, in black hose and jacket, wearing a red robe, with feathers around his ears; Bodycolour and watercolour over graphite; Probably after Bernard Lens III; Inscribed in pencil above with title and below: in ink, ‘TEE YEE NEEN HO GA ROW Emperor of ye six Nations. An Iroquois’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page. Also known as Theyanoguin.

[f. 22]

20: A portrait of Sa Ga Yean Qua Rah Tow, King of the Maquas, in black hose and jacket, wearing a red robe, with feathers and a red ribbon around his ears and painted marks on his chest; Bodycolour and watercolour over graphite; Probably after Bernard Lens III; Inscribed with title in pencil above and below in ink, ‘SA GA YEAN QUA RAH TOW. King of the MAQ[U]AS’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the bottom of the drawing. [f. 23]

21: A portrait of E Tow Oh Koam, King of the River Nation, in black hose and jacket, wearing a red robe, with feathers and a red ribbon around his ears and painted marks on his face; Bodycolour and watercolour over graphite; Probably after Bernard Lens III; Inscribed in pencil with title above and below in ink, ‘E TOW OH ROAM. King of ye RIVER NATION’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 24]

22: A portrait of O Nee Yeath Tow No Riow, King of the Ganajoh Hore, standing in profile with his head turned to the front, in black hose and jacket, wearing a red robe, with feathers and a red ribbon around his ears and painted marks on his face; Bodycolour and watercolour over graphite; Probably after Bernard Lens III; Inscribed above in pencil with title, and below in ink, ‘O NEE YEATH TOW NO RIOW. King of the Ganaijoh Hore’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 25]

23: A Tupinambà man and woman dancing, with a parrot in a tree and a Sagouin or small monkey; Pen and ink, watercolour and bodycolour; After John White; Inscribed: ‘Inhabitants of BRASILE, the man with Rattles or Castanets made of ye fruit Ahovai about his Leggs & a Maracca or God in ye hand of one of their Women’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 26]

24: A Tupinambà man, woman and child; Pen and ink, watercolour and bodycolour; After John White; Inscribed: ‘Inhabitants of BRASILE with Bows, Arrows and a Pine Apple’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 27]

25: A Tupinambà warrior with a severed head lying on the ground; Pen and ink, watercolour and bodycolour; After John White; Inscribed: ‘An Indian of Brasile who hath kill’d his Enemy rejoicing upon that occasion’, on a slip of paper pasted onto page.

[f. 28]

26: A native Brazilian man with weapons; Watercolour and bodycolour; Sylvester Brounower; Inscribed in ink: ‘27. A Brasilian Cannibal’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 29]

27: A native Brazilian woman holding a severed hand in her left hand and a severed foot in a basket on her back; Watercolour and bodycolour; Sylvester Brounower; Inscribed in ink: ‘28. A Brasilian Cannibal’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 30]

28: Tupinambà Indians mourning death; Pen and ink, watercolour and bodycolour; After John White; Inscribed: ‘Indians of Brasile lamenting their dead friend lying in a Cotton Hamac’, on a slip of paper pasted onto page.

[f. 31]

29: Tupinambà Indians welcoming a Frenchman; Pen and ink, watercolour and bodycolour; After John White; Inscribed: ‘The Ceremony of cutting the Arrow of the dead person who hath no further use of it’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page. This appears to refer only to the figure depicted at the back of the scene. The European and the Tupinambà woman in front hide their faces as part of a welcoming ceremony.

[f. 32]

30: View of a bay with European ships, with an Ethiopian in the foreground holding a plaque entitled ‘Descripcion de Etiopia’; Watercolour; Inscribed in ink: ‘Views of ETHIOPIA by TELLEL’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 33]

31: An Angolan man with weapons and a shield; Watercolour; Sylvester Brounower. Inscribed in ink: ‘An Inhabitant of Angola’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 34]

32: An Angolan woman and a child who holds a bird and a corn; Watercolour; Sylvester Brounower, after Albert Eckhout’s painting (1641) of the same figures; Inscribed in ink, ‘Another Inhabitant of Angola’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 35]

33: A Khoikhoi man holding a feather and a stick; Watercolour; Sylvester Brounower; Inscribed in ink, ‘8’ An HOTTENTOTT or Inhabitant of ye Cape of Good Hope’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 36]

34: A Khoikhoi man wearing a black cape, a red earing, and headdress; Watercolour; Sylvester Brounower; Inscribed in ink, ‘9. A Hottentott’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 37]

35: A Khoikhoi woman with a child on her back, and holding the entrails of sheep which were also wrapped around her legs; Watercolour; Sylvester Brounower; Inscribed in ink, ‘10. A Hottenttot with ye Gutts of Sheep wore about their Leggs for Ornam[en]t wch they afterwards eat.’ on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 38]

36: A male inhabitant of Java holding a bunch of bananas; Watercolour over graphite underdrawing; Sylvester Brounower; Inscribed in ink, ‘An Inhabitant of IAVA’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 39]

37: An inhabitant of Java holding a spear; Watercolour; Sylvester Brounower; Inscribed in ink, ‘An Inhabitant of JAVA’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 40]

38: A portrait of a prince from the Island of Gilolo (or Halmahera) with painted marks all over his body; Watercolour; Possibly copied from Thomas Hyde, An Account of the Famous Prince of Giololo (London: R. Taylor, 1692); Inscribed in ink, ‘A Prince from the Island GILOLO in the East Indies’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page. This is likely the native of the Island in the Indonesian Archipelago who was captured with his mother and exhibited in England in the early 1690s.

[f. 41]

39: An Amboinese man with a bow and long arrows; Watercolour; Sylvester Brounower; Inscribed in ink, ‘An Amboinese’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 42]

40: An Amboinese woman with a basket on her head and holding a child; Watercolour; Sylvester Brounower; Inscribed in ink, ‘26’.

[f. 43]

41: An inhabitant of Macassar holding a spear and an arrow; Watercolour; Sylvester Brounower; Inscribed in ink, ‘21. An Inhabitant of Macassar’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 44]

42: An inhabitant of Macassar holding a dagger and a shield; Watercolour; Sylvester Brounower; Inscribed in ink, ‘18. A Malaysese’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 45]

43: A ‘Ternatine’ holding a spear and a shield; Watercolour; Sylvester Brounower; Inscribed in ink, ‘16. A Ternatine or an Amboinese’, on a slip of pasted onto the page.

[f. 46]

44: A female ‘Ternatine’ with a child holding a bird; Watercolour; Sylvester Brounower; Inscribed in ink, ‘A TERNATINE’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 47]

45: A woman, possibly a ‘Ternatine’, holding a fan; Watercolour; Inscribed in ink, ‘A TERNATINE?’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 48]

46: An ‘Amboinese’ woman holding a basket of fruits; Watercolour; Sylvester Brounower; Inscribed in ink, ‘19. An Amboinese’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 49]

47: An ‘Amboinese’ woman wearing a wide-rimmed hat; Watercolour; Sylvester Brounower; Inscribed in ink, ‘20. An Amboisese’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page. [f. 50]

48: A ‘Tunquinese’ woman in a pink robe and sash, holding a fan; Watercolour; Sylvester Brounower; Inscribed in ink, ‘14. A TUNQUINESE’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 51]

49: A Japanese man in a kimono with a sword hanging from his sash and holding a bow and arrow; Watercolour; Sylvester Brounower; Inscribed in ink, ‘4. An Inhabitant of IAPAN?’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 52]

50: A Japanese woman with a parasol; Watercolour; Sylvester Brounower; Inscribed in ink, ‘A Woman of JAPAN’, on a slip of paper pasted onto page, though the clothing suggest Malay or Indonesian features.

[f. 53]

51: A Japanese woman with a parasol in one hand and holding a child in a sash; Watercolour; Sylvester Brounower; Inscribed in ink, ‘A JAPONESE’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page, though the clothing suggest Malay or Indonesian features.

[f. 54]

52: A Chinese man with a grey beard in a robe and headdress; Watercolour; Sylvester Brounower; Inscribed in ink, ‘15. A Chinese Pope.’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 55]

53: A Chinese man in a white robe with a red pouch and holding a fan in his hand; Watercolour; Sylvester Brounower; Inscribed in ink, ‘3. A Citizen of CHINA.’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 56]

54: A Chinese woman in a light blue robe over a purple skirt, holding a parasol; Watercolour; Sylvester Brounower; Inscribed in ink, ‘11. A CHINESE.’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 57]

55: A Chinese woman in a patterned yellow top and red skirt; Watercolour; Sylvester Brounower; Inscribed in ink, ‘22. A CHINESE.’, on a slip of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 58]

56: A Tartar man with a red cap clothed in black and purple holding a bow and arrow and carrying a quiver; Watercolour; Sylvester Brounower; Inscribed in ink, ‘24. A Tartar.’ 57: A portrait of a Tartar man in a red robe with a ponytail against a townscape aiming with a bow and arrow; Watercolour; Sylvester Brounower; Inscribed in ink, ‘20. A. Tartar Bowing’ on slips of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 59]

58: A Tartar man in profile with a blue headdress and red feather, carrying a sword, bow and quiver, in front of a background of a mountain and tents; Watercolour; Inscribed in ink, ‘19. A Tartar Man.’

59: A Tartar woman in a dark blue robe carrying a basket, against a background of hills, trees and a tent; Watercolour; Inscribed in ink, ‘18. A. Tartar Woman’ on slips of paper pasted onto the page.

[f. 60]

60: A view of a Chinese pleasure barge with banners with a naked body hanging at the back; Graphite and watercolour; Inscribed in ink, ‘7. A Chinese pleasure Boat or Barge in the form of a Serpent with live Ducks hanging from the Stemm & a Boy on a Swing at the Stern shewing Tricks.’

61: A view of three different Chinese ships near a port; Watercolour and bodycolour over graphite; Inscribed in ink, ‘17. Several sorts of Chinese ships’ on slips of paper with pasted onto the bottom of the drawings.

[f. 61]

62: A view of the Castle of Mongley near Canton, a fortified castle on an island; Watercolour and bodycolour over graphite; Inscribed in ink, ‘4. The Castle of Mongley on ye banks of the River Kiang near CANTON in CHINA.’

63: A view of the triumphal arch at Canton, with a figure on top in an open space in a city; Watercolour and bodycolour over graphite; Inscribed in ink, ‘1. One of the triumphal Arches at Canton in CHINA’ on a slip of paper pasted onto the bottom of the drawings.

[f. 62]

64: A portrait of the young Viceroy of Canton, on a horse in front of other warriors on horseback; Watercolour and bodycolour over graphite; Inscribed in ink ‘2. The young Viceroy of CANTON beginning a march against Rebels in QVANGSI a Province of China.’

65: Portrait of the old Viceroy of Canton, seated, with a cap with peacock feathers, in front of other officials; Watercolour and bodycolour over graphite; Inscribed in ink, ‘3. The old Viceroy of Canton with the Magistrates and Mandarines sitting behind him & his Children standing at his right hand receiving the Dutch Ambassadors’ on a slip of paper pasted onto the bottom of the drawing.

[f. 63]

66: A street view of Nanjing, with various types of signs placed high up on a pole in front of houses; Graphite, ink, bodycolour and watercolour; Inscribed in ink, ‘5. One of the Streets in NANKING a City of CHINA with the Signs &c.’

67: A view of the Porcelain Tower of Nanjing with worshippers enclosed within walls; Graphite, ink, bodycolour and watercolour; Inscribed in ink, ‘6. The Porcellane Tower a Pagode or Heathen Temple at Nanking’ on slips of paper pasted onto the bottom of the drawings.

[f. 64]

68: A scene of a field with trees and plants showing a Chinese plough being drawn by a woman, a man and an ass; Graphite, ink, bodycolour and watercolour; Inscribed in ink, ‘14. A Chinese Plowman holding his Plough drawn by another man his Ass and Wife who hath a lock of hair hanging’.

69: Chinese rustic men and women, one of whom has a spindle; Graphite, ink, bodycolour and watercolour; Inscribed in ink, ‘15. Chinese Boors, the woman spinning in the street’ on slips of paper pasted onto the bottom of the drawings.

[f. 65]

70: A half-naked Chinese beggar seated on the edge of a boat with a bodkin thrust through his mouth and cheek, and a man standing behind with a book; Graphite, ink, bodycolour and watercolour; Inscribed in ink, ‘A Chinese Begger, thrusting bodkins thro’ his Cheek to raise compassion thereby, with a Chinese priest standing behind him to record the Benefactors. 10’.

71: View of several Chinese conjurers and jugglers against a backdrop of a city with a pagoda; Graphite, ink, bodycolour and watercolour; Inscribed in ink, ‘9. Some of the Chinese Jugler’s Tricks as 1. their teaching their Rats & Mice to leap & dance to Musck on Tables. 2. Standing on ye End of a Pole not half a foot broad the other end of ye Pole being fast’ned to the Girdle of a man. 3. Running through Baskets with Swords from whence issue blood, yet the men leap out unhurt’, on slips of paper pasted onto the bottom of the drawings.

[f. 66]

72: A Chinese comedian, man with a grey beard in a blue dress and a headdress with a red feather; Graphite, ink, bodycolour and watercolour; Inscribed in ink, ‘8. The habit of a Chinese Comedian’.

73: A half-naked Chinese priest being punished, whipped and struck by a chain, with another man looking out of a hut with only a window’ Graphite, ink, bodycolour and watercolour; Inscribed in ink, ‘16. The punishment of a Chinese Priest taken in a Bawdy house’, on slips of paper pasted onto the bottom of the drawings.

[f. 66v and 67v]

74, 78 (two Chinese prints) have been transferred to the Department of Prints and Drawings (sub-dept of Oriental Art). 20 June 1913. J. P. Gilson, Keeper of MSS. Their present reference is Chinese Woodcuts, L[awrence]. Binyon.’. (Now British Museum, Asia Dept., 1913,0620,0.1 Quarrel over a game).

[f. 67]

75: A Chinese man in a blue costume and white headdress holding a stick; Ink, graphite, bodycolour and watercolour; Inscribed in ink, ‘11. A Chinese Gentleman’.

76: A Chinese gentleman, in a purple dress, headdress and sword; Ink, graphite, bodycolour and watercolour. Inscribed in ink, ‘12. A Chinese Gentleman’.

77: A Chinese gentleman, in a blue dress and hat, with a necklace and sword, holding a stick; Ink, graphite, bodycolour and watercolour; Inscribed in ink, ‘13. A Chinese Gentleman’.

[f. 68]

79: Portrait of the Emperor of China seated with a hand on a globe, flanked by officials and warriors; Ink, bodycolour and watercolour; Inscribed in ink, ‘21. The Emperor of CHINA as he gave Audience to the Dutch Embassadors’.

Detailed cataloguing of this item has been funded by the Master and Fellows of Trinity College, Cambridge.