Andrea Corsali

Andrea Corsali (1487—?) was an Italian explorer who worked in the service of Giuliano di Lorenzo de' Medici of Florence and Lorenzo II de' Medici, duke of Urbino. Corsali traveled to Asia and the south seas aboard a Portuguese merchant vessel, sending home written accounts of the lands and peoples which he encountered along the way. Two of Corsali’s letters from the 'East Indies' were published in Florence in 1518, and again in Giovanni Battista Ramusio, Delle navigationi et viaggi (Venice, 1550), along with accounts by other travelers and merchants such as Giovanni da Empoli (1483-1518). He also noted that Sumatra and Ceylon (Sri Lanka) are two distinct islands (ancient geography confused them with the name of Taprobane). Corsali’s death date is unknown.

Quotes

• In a small island near this, called Divari, the Portuguese , in order to build the city, have destroyed an ancient temple ... which was built with marvelous art and with ancient figures wrought to the greatest perfection, in a certain black stone, some of which remain standing, ruined and shattered , because these Portuguese care nothing about them. If I can come by one of these shattered images, I will send it to your Lordship, that you may perceive how much in old times sculpture was esteemed in every part of the world.
  • Says Andre Corsalli to Giuliano de Medici Jan 6, 1516:
  • quoted in Paul William Roberts - Empire of the Soul (Summersdale Travel) (2002)

• In this land of Goa and the whole of India there are numerous ancient edifices of the pagans. In a small island nearby called Divari, the Portuguese in order to build the land of Goa have destroyed an ancient temple called Pagoda, which was built with a marvellous artifice, with ancient figures of a certain black stone worked with the greatest perfection, of which some still remain standing in ruins and damaged because the Portuguese do not hold them in any esteem. If I could obtain one of these sculptures thus ruined, I would have sent it to your lordship, so that you may judge in what great esteem sculpture was held in antiquity.
  • Destruction of temple in Goa by the Portuguese, letter by the Florentine, Andrea Corsali in 1515 to Duke Giuliano de’ Medici in Partha Mitter, Much Maligned Monsters, History of European Reactions to Indian Art, Oxford University Press, 1977, p., 34. quoted from Jain, M. (editor) (2011). The India they saw: Foreign accounts. New Delhi: Ocean Books. Volume III Chapter 5
  • different translation: In this land of Goa and of the whole of India there are innumerable ancient edifices of the gentiles and in a little neighbouring island that is called Divari, the Portuguese in order to build the land (town) of Goa, have destroyed an ancient temple called a pagoda which was built with wonderful skill, with ancient figures of a certain black stone worked with very great perfection, of which some are standing, ruined and spoilt, but which these Portuguese hold in no esteem. Should I have in hand any (figure) thus ruined, I shall send it to Your Highness that Your Highness may see how in ancient times sculpture was appreciated every- where .
  • Letter written to Duque Giuliano de Medicis on January 6, 1515 from Cochin by André Corsali in (Pa A. B. Braganga Pereira, Historia Religiosa de Goa, vol. 1, Bastord n.d.), p. 44. in :Priolkar Anant Kakba and Gabriel Dellon. 2008. The Goa Inquisition : Being a Quatercentenary Commemoration Study of the Inquisition in India. 65. also in Jain, M. (2019). Flight of deities and rebirth of temples: Episodes from Indian history. 216 ff