Le Moyne & De Bry

Theodore de Bry

University of Liege

In 1586, Rene de Laudonniere’s narratives on the French experience in Florida were published. The next year, Jacques le Moyne made plans to publish his own account, accompanied by his own artwork of the expedition’s experiences in Florida. Unfortunately, Le Moyne died within that year, and so he was unable to finish the project. Thus the chance of a first hand illustrated account of Fort Caroline from the French perspective was lost.

A Flemish engraver, Theodore de Bry, had been in contact with Le Moyne and was interested in doing the engraving work for the publication. After Le Moyne’s passing, de Bry bought the paintings from Le Moyne’s wife and set about the engraving process.

De Bry filled in portions of Le Moyne’s work to make it more appealing to book purchasers, who were very interested in news of North and South America. Undoubtedly, de Bry made adjustments to the appearance of the subjects of the artwork, and added backgrounds imaginatively. He also created different versions of his work for different audiences. The volumes in German were geared towards Protestants, while those in Latin appealed to Catholics. Despite these editorial changes and imagined additions, de Bry’s work preserved these early images of people and places in Florida, and remain a source of information about sixteenth century Florida.

Return to Explorers & Settlers of Fort Caroline.

 

The Problems with De Bry Engravings

In creating these images Theodore de Bry combined cultures, environments, and artifacts from across North and South America, filtered them through his European perspective, and created images specifically meant to sensationalize and sell copies. Although the images are interesting, they must be examined with scrutiny and understood in context. 

 

Construction of the Fortified Towns among the Floridians.

Left image
Image created by De Bry.
Credit: State Archives of Florida/Bry

Right image
One of the most glaring additions from De Bry are the town walls he adds to Timucua communities.  To date, archaeologists have found no other records or evidence that such fortifications were ever built.  
Credit: State Archives of Florida/Bry

 

Killing Crocodiles.

Left image
Image created by De Bry
Credit: Florida Memory Project/De Bry

Right image
Animals are one of the most clear examples of how imagination changed these images.  Pictured here is a "crocodile" most likely inspired by our alligators but dramatically larger and more fearsome in appearance than any creature native to this area.
Credit: Florida Memory Project/De Bry

 

Outina, going at the Head of His Army, Against the Enemy, Consults a Sorcerer on the Event.

Left image
The original De Bry image.
Credit: Florida Memory Project/De Bry

Right image
Brazilian war bats, European symbols for witchcraft on the ground, along with the title of sorcerer are all inaccurate additions made by the engraver.
Credit: Florida Memory Project/De Bry