Skip to main content
Items Similar to Idols of Campeche, Yucatán, and Tabasco in Early Colonial Imagination, 1734
Gianfrancesco Pivati - Divinities of Campeche, Idols of Tabasco - by G. Pivati - 1746-1751
Divinities of Campeche, Idols of Tabasco - by G. Pivati - 1746-1751
Mexican Penitence and Human Sacrifice – 1734 Engraving of Aztec Religious Rites
Mexican Penitence and Human Sacrifice – 1734 Engraving of Aztec Religious Rites
Mexican Gods and Priests – 1734 Engraving of Aztec Deities and Religious Ritual
Mexican Gods and Priests – 1734 Engraving of Aztec Deities and Religious Ritual
Gianfrancesco Pivati - Mexican Idols, Deities and Ministers - Etching by G. Pivati - 1746/1751
Mexican Idols, Deities and Ministers - Etching by G. Pivati - 1746/1751
Quetzalcoatl Worship and Hunting Deity – Rare 1734 Engraving of Aztec Rituals
Quetzalcoatl Worship and Hunting Deity – Rare 1734 Engraving of Aztec Rituals
Marriage and Infant Rituals among the Mexicans, Engraving from 1734
Marriage and Infant Rituals among the Mexicans, Engraving from 1734
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 12

Idols of Campeche, Yucatán, and Tabasco in Early Colonial Imagination, 1734

$279.65
£210.90
€240
CA$386.64
A$433.10
CHF 227.48
MX$5,266.31
NOK 2,880.61
SEK 2,734.48
DKK 1,827.04

About the Item

Idols of Campeche, Yucatán, and Tabasco in Early Colonial Imagination This dramatic 18th-century copperplate engraving, dated 1723, depicts the so-called idols and ritual scenes associated with the indigenous peoples of Campeche, Yucatán, and Tabasco in New Spain (present-day Mexico). Titled *Idoles de Campêche et de Iucatan* and *Idoles de Tabasco*, the engraving was created by Bernard Picart for the monumental work *Cérémonies et Coutumes Religieuses de tous les Peuples du Monde*, a wide-ranging Enlightenment-era project attempting to document global religious practices through European eyes. In the upper panel, the "idols" of Campeche and Yucatán are presented as a dramatic tableau featuring monumental sculptural figures and mythic beasts. A large, coiled serpent emerges from a fenced platform while two hybrid creatures—one resembling a griffon or dragon—interact with a nude male figure who stands in a commanding pose. These elements reflect European interpretations of Maya or Aztec cosmology but are infused with imaginative fantasy rather than anthropological accuracy. The lower panel illustrates the supposed idols and rituals of Tabasco. Here, a chaotic and ritualistic scene unfolds: skeletal remains, fire, exotic animals, dancing and gesturing figures with elaborate headdresses suggest a ceremony, possibly sacrificial in nature. The composition is rich in symbolic content, blending indigenous iconography with baroque European artistic conventions to conjure an image of exoticism, mystery, and spectacle. Scenes in the background reinforce themes of ritual dance and tribal unity, though they often reflect European misconceptions and dramatic exaggerations. Like many plates in Picart’s volumes, these engravings were not intended as literal depictions but rather as moral and philosophical reflections filtered through Enlightenment ideals and colonial narratives. They reveal more about 18th-century European perspectives on the Americas than about the native practices themselves. This print is in good condition with slight toning at the edges, minor foxing, and a strong plate impression. The image area remains clean and richly detailed. Framing suggestion: A deep mat in ivory or pale sand, paired with a black or walnut frame, will emphasize the classical line work and allow the engraving to stand out. Ideal for collectors of colonial-era prints, ethnographic art, or early New World iconography.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 16.54 in (42 cm)Width: 10.24 in (26 cm)Depth: 0.01 in (0.2 mm)
  • Materials and Techniques:
    Paper,Engraved
  • Period:
    1730-1739
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1734
  • Condition:
    This print is in good condition with toning at the edges, minor foxing, and a strong plate impression. The edges of the paper are rough but the image area remains clean and richly detailed. Ready to be framed.
  • Seller Location:
    Langweer, NL
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: BG-13806-631stDibs: LU3054345048852

More From This Seller

View All
Mexican Penitence and Human Sacrifice – 1734 Engraving of Aztec Religious Rites
Located in Langweer, NL
Mexican Penitence and Human Sacrifice – 1734 Engraving of Aztec Religious Rites Description: This dramatic 1734 copperplate engraving illustrates two imagined rituals from ancient M...
Category

Antique 1730s Prints

Materials

Paper

Mexican Penitence and Human Sacrifice – 1734 Engraving of Aztec Religious Rites

Mexican Penitence and Human Sacrifice – 1734 Engraving of Aztec Religious Rites

$279
Mexican Gods and Priests – 1734 Engraving of Aztec Deities and Religious Ritual
Located in Langweer, NL
Title: Mexican Gods and Priests – 1734 Engraving of Aztec Deities and Religious Ritual Description: This rare 1734 copperplate engraving presents four vivid representations of Aztec...
Category

Antique 1730s Prints

Materials

Paper

Mexican Gods and Priests – 1734 Engraving of Aztec Deities and Religious Ritual

Mexican Gods and Priests – 1734 Engraving of Aztec Deities and Religious Ritual

$279
Quetzalcoatl Worship and Hunting Deity – Rare 1734 Engraving of Aztec Rituals
Located in Langweer, NL
Quetzalcoatl Worship and Hunting Deity – Rare 1734 Engraving of Aztec Rituals This finely detailed copperplate engraving from 1734 presents two theatrical interpretations of religio...
Category

Antique 1730s Prints

Materials

Paper

Quetzalcoatl Worship and Hunting Deity – Rare 1734 Engraving of Aztec Rituals

Quetzalcoatl Worship and Hunting Deity – Rare 1734 Engraving of Aztec Rituals

$302
Marriage and Infant Rituals among the Mexicans, Engraving from 1734
Located in Langweer, NL
Title: Marriage and Infant Rituals among the Mexicans, Engraving from 1734 Description: This richly detailed 18th-century copperplate engraving, published in 1723, offers a fascinat...
Category

Antique 1730s Prints

Materials

Paper

Marriage and Infant Rituals among the Mexicans, Engraving from 1734

Marriage and Infant Rituals among the Mexicans, Engraving from 1734

$279
Religious Ceremony of the Inhabitants of the Island of Hispaniola, 1734
Located in Langweer, NL
Religious Ceremony of the Inhabitants of the Island of Hispaniola, 1734 Description: This vividly hand-colored copperplate engraving, issued in 1734 in Bernard Picart’s monumental w...
Category

Antique 1730s Prints

Materials

Paper

Religious Ceremony of the Inhabitants of the Island of Hispaniola, 1734

Religious Ceremony of the Inhabitants of the Island of Hispaniola, 1734

$326
Mexican Marriage and Childhood Ceremonies as Imagined in the 18th Century, 1734
Located in Langweer, NL
Title: Marriage and Infant Rituals among the Mexicans, Engraving from 1734 Description: This richly detailed 18th-century copperplate engraving, published in 1723, offers a fascinat...
Category

Antique 1730s Prints

Materials

Paper

Mexican Marriage and Childhood Ceremonies as Imagined in the 18th Century, 1734

Mexican Marriage and Childhood Ceremonies as Imagined in the 18th Century, 1734

$186

You May Also Like

Divinities of Campeche, Idols of Tabasco - by G. Pivati - 1746-1751
By Gianfrancesco Pivati
Located in Roma, IT
Divinities of Campeche, Idols of Tabasco Etchings, Hand-Watercoloured. Vol. VIII, Plate LXXI Image Dim: cm 25.5 x 18; Sheet Dim: cm 37.5 x 23.8; Passepartout Dim: cm 49 x 34 Two E...
Category

1740s Old Masters Figurative Prints

Materials

Etching

Divinities of Campeche, Idols of Tabasco - by G. Pivati - 1746-1751

Gianfrancesco Pivati
Divinities of Campeche, Idols of Tabasco - by G. Pivati - 1746-1751, 1746-1751

$279
Mexican Idols, Deities and Ministers - Etching by G. Pivati - 1746/1751
By Gianfrancesco Pivati
Located in Roma, IT
Image dimensions: 25.5 x 18 cm. Mexican Idols, Deities and Ministers is a fine etching, hand-watercolored, realized by the engraver Gianfrancesco Pivati. This original print, repre...
Category

1740s Old Masters Figurative Prints

Materials

Etching

Mexican Idols, Deities and Ministers - Etching by G. Pivati - 1746/1751

Gianfrancesco Pivati
Mexican Idols, Deities and Ministers - Etching by G. Pivati - 1746/1751, 1746-1751

$291
Egyptian Deities And Exotic Animals - Etching - 18th Century
Located in Roma, IT
Egyptian Deities And Exotic Animals from "Antiquities of Herculaneum" is an etching on paper realized by Various Authors in the 18th Century. Good condi...
Category

18th Century Old Masters Figurative Prints

Materials

Etching

Egyptian Deities And Exotic Animals - Etching - 18th Century

Egyptian Deities And Exotic Animals - Etching - 18th Century, 18th Century

$524
Roman Temple Fresco - Etching by Francisco Alvarez - 18th Century
Located in Roma, IT
Roman Temple Fresco from "Antiquities of Herculaneum" is an etching on paper realized by Francisco Alvarez in the 18th Century. Signed on the plate. Good conditions. The etching b...
Category

18th Century Modern Figurative Prints

Materials

Etching

Roman Temple Fresco - Etching by Francisco Alvarez - 18th Century

Francisco Alvarez
Roman Temple Fresco - Etching by Francisco Alvarez - 18th Century, 18th Century

$261 Sale Price
20% Off
Ancient Roman Painting - Etching by N. Orcity, N. Vanni - 18th Century
Located in Roma, IT
Ancient Roman painting- Offering Scene from the series "Antiquities of Herculaneum", is an original etching on paper realized by Nic Orcity an...
Category

18th Century Modern Figurative Prints

Materials

Etching

Ancient Roman Painting - Etching by N. Orcity, N. Vanni - 18th Century

N. Orcity, N. Vanni
Ancient Roman Painting - Etching by N. Orcity, N. Vanni - 18th Century, 18th Century

$699
Funeral Ceremonies among the Mexicans and Venezuelans - by G. Pivati - 1746/1751
By Gianfrancesco Pivati
Located in Roma, IT
Image dimensions: 25.5 x 18 cm. Funeral Ceremonies among the Mexicans and Venezuelans is a fine etching, hand-watercolored, realized by the engraver Gianfrancesco Pivati. This orig...
Category

1740s Old Masters Figurative Prints

Materials

Etching

Funeral Ceremonies among the Mexicans and Venezuelans - by G. Pivati - 1746/1751

Gianfrancesco Pivati
Funeral Ceremonies among the Mexicans and Venezuelans - by G. Pivati - 1746/1751, 1746-1751

$349

More Ways To Browse

Mexican Baroque
18th Century Male Nudes
Brass Clock Garniture
Bronze Bulldog
Bronze Egg On Stand
Bronze Egyptian Urns
Bronze Judith
Bronze Pair Of Chinese Lions
Bronze Pharaoh Sculptures
Bronze Roman Warriors
Bronze Sculpture Bag
Bronze Stallion
Buffet Marble Inlay
Bull And Bear Sculpture
Burlwood Mahogany
Burr Walnut Writing Slope
C Jeres 1969
Cabinet With Pocket Doors
View All Popular Prints Searches