Their Manner of Praying with Rattles about the Fire - Theodor de Bry

A detailed copperplate engraving by Theodor de Bry, depicting a ceremonial gathering of the Secotan people, based on the 1585 observations of John White.

This copperplate engraving by Theodor de Bry originates from the 1590 publication 'A Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia'. The work is based on the original watercolour observations of John White, an English artist who accompanied the 1585 expedition to Roanoke. De Bry, a Flemish engraver working in Frankfurt, adapted White's drawings to create a series of prints that introduced European audiences to the indigenous populations of North America.

The composition depicts a group of Secotan people gathered around a central fire. The figures are shown in various seated and kneeling postures, holding rattles used during their ceremonial practices. De Bry employs precise line work to define the anatomy of the figures and the textures of the surrounding environment. The smoke rising from the fire is rendered with swirling, rhythmic lines, which provides a sense of movement against the static figures. In the background, the shoreline and distant canoes suggest the coastal geography of the region.

While the print aims to document indigenous customs, it reflects the European artistic conventions of the late sixteenth century. The figures possess a classical posture and proportion that align with the aesthetic preferences of the period rather than a strictly ethnographic record. The engraving remains a significant document for understanding how early colonial encounters were visualised and disseminated in Europe. The print is part of a larger collection that sought to catalogue the natural resources and inhabitants of the New World, serving as an early example of travel literature combined with visual documentation. The clarity of the engraving process allows for the preservation of fine details, from the foliage in the foreground to the subtle expressions of the participants.