Funeral Honours and Burial of the Peruvian Leaders

Funeral Honours and Burial of the Peruvian leaders  is a fine etching, hand-watercolored, realized by the engraver  Gianfrancesco Pivati .

This original print, representing the funeral ceremonies among the Mexicans and Venezuelans, namely the exhibition of the corpse, the funeral procession with presents, the cremation and the antique rite of the cremains of the cacique , is from the series  New Scientific and Curious Dictionary concerning the Sacred and the  Profane , Tome VIII, Plate LXXXI, published by Benedetto Milocco in Venice in 1746-1751, concerning the  Uses and Costumes, Religious Rites of people .

Perfect conditions, including passepartout (49 x 34 cm).

Gianfrancesco Pivati

Pivati's  New Dictionary  is a bold contribution to Italian cultural debate in the mid-18th century. The wide, useful, and interesting knowledge it contains is often taken from Hebrew, Greek, Latin, French, Spanish and English, as well as Italian. “ The subjects treated are well researched and generally presented in a simple, direct style (…) ”. Pivati’s liberal voice was out of the chorus in the context of the rigid conformity predominating throughout the Italian peninsula. “ He appears to be committed to Reason and Science as opposed to simple Faith, but he tries to avoid any direct challenge to the dogmatic teachings of the Church ”.

Reference : Silvano Garafalo, in: Frank Kafker, Notable Encyclopedias, Oxford 1981.