“The French translation of Gumilla’s ‘Orinoco ilustrado’ and its reception in the 18th century.” Seminar given by Diego Stefanelli (Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz/Germersheim).

“El Orinoco ilustrado y defendido. Historia natural, civil y geográfica de este gran río y de sus caudalosas vertientes” (The Orinoco, illustrated and defended. Natural, civil and geographical history of this great river and of its abundant waters and far-reaching slopes), first published in 1741 and then in 1745 as a second edition, is a book written by the Jesuit missionary Joseph Gumilla (1686-1750). It was of utmost importance for spreading the knowledge on the Orinoco basin to scientists, philosophers and, in general, to European readers of the 18th century, as it describes its nature, people and customs.

The French translation of this work significantly contributed to its reception in Europe. Its translator, Marc-Antoine Eidous (1724-1790), was one of the most prolific French translators of the middle decades of the 18th century. The translation appeared in 1758, based on the second edition of the book, with the title “Histoire naturelle, civile et géographique de l'Orénoque et des principales rivières qui s’y jettent” (Natural, civil and geographical history of Orinoco and the main rivers that flow into it). It included a preface of the translator, in which Eidous corrected some of the statements related to the hydrography of the Orinoco river that the missionary had made.

The geographical issue indeed interested French readers, but it was not the only one. The reviews that appeared in different journeaux show the diversity of public’s interests regarding Gumilla’s work, both for the descriptions of Orinoco’s nature (its plants and its “exotic” animals) as well as for the appearance, origin, customs and habits of the different indigenous people that lived there. The indigenous medicine, to which the author dedicated several pages, particularly brought attention of some French readers.

The seminar will research not only the French translation of “Orinoco ilustrado” and Eidous translational strategies, but also its reception in French magazines of the time. It will be linked with both the more general reception of travel literature in 18th century as well as with some internal debates of European science of the same century (concretely, in the fields of medicine and geography).

More information about the seminar: “The French translation of Gumilla’s ‘Orinoco ilustrado’”