Historia de Mexico [with] the Tovar calendar, ca. 1830

Nineteenth century transcript, in two parts, of Juan de Tovar's Historia de la benida de los yndios apoblar a Mexico (the Códice Tovar). The work was possibly based on a history of the Aztecs by the Domincan Diego Durán and contains an exchange of correspondence between Tovar and the Jesuit father Jose de Acosta concerning the composition of the manuscript; detailed information about the rites and ceremonies of the Aztecs; painted illustrations of Mexican scenes, Indian dances, etc.; and an elaborate comparison of the Aztec year with the Christian calendar. The original illustrations were by Aztec draftsmen.

Part I: Historia de Mexico by Tovar, 6 copy books, nos. 2-7 of a series, ca. 266 text pp., copies from fols. 9-81. Transcribed by Elizabeth, Lady Phillipps, ca. 1862, from the original (ca. 1585) in the library of Sir Thomas Phillipps. AMs, pen and ink on lined paper. Bound in one. 8 5/8 in. x 6 7/8 in. Part II: Mid-19th C. illus (mss.) copy of the Tovar calendar (ca. 1585). Ink and watercolor on paper, captioned. Folio, stitched. 51 figures; images 1-8: 6 5/8 in. x 9 5/8 in.; images 15-51: 7 in. x 10 1/8 in.

In cloth case with leather label.

Manuscript transcription of the history made by Elizabeth, Lady Phillipps, (ca. 1862) at Middle Hall from the original in the collection of her husband, Sir Thomas Phillipps. The original manuscript had formerly been in the Kingsborough Collection and is now in the John Carter Brown Library. Watercolors (ca. 1830) probably made by one of the artists Lord Kingsborough hired through the bookseller, Obadiah Rich.

Jesuit missionary in Mexico. Juan de Tovar entered the Jesuit order in 1572 and spent his life doing missionary work in Mexico. He was an expert in the Nahuatl language and collected pre-Columbian Aztec codexes, conferring with natives about their meaning.

Also available in digital form on the Library of Congress Web site.

In Spanish.

Provenance: Gift of Jay I. Kislak Foundation.

NUCMC/kislak

NUCMC/vm01

Kislak accession no.: 1994.022.01.0005

Input to Voyager after 5/16/2007, date of first run of Kislak ms. records for AD

acosta josé de correspondence durán diego aztec calendar aztec mythology aztecs history manuscripts mexican mexico to 1519 castilian spanish historia tovar calendar tovar calendar 1830 high resolution rare book selections rare book and special collections division jay i kislak collection library of congress elizabeth phillipps juan de tovar manuscript ultra high resolution jay j kislak collection jesuit christian order jesuits

01/01/1830

Library of Congress

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