Jacques Cartier was the first explorer the King of France sent to Canada. After a reconnaissance in 1534, Cartier came back in 1535 with the goal of overwintering. Cartier and his crew set up camp in what is now Québec City. Ill-adapted to the cold and without adequate provisions, the group struggled to make it through the winter, even with the help of the Indigenous locals. Exhausted, Cartier and his companions returned to France in the spring of 1536. Forever anchored in our collective memory, this voyage has been rendered in artwork, many of which you can discover in this album!
Marc-Aurèle de Foy Suzor-Côté
In 1907, Quebec painter Marc-Aurèle de Foy Suzor-Coté depicted Cartier’s arrival at Stadacona in 1535. The painting reflects the stereotypes of the period in which it was produced, portraying the French as the benevolent bearers of civilization to the Indigenous Peoples. In fact, it was the Indigenous locals who came to the aid of the sick and exhausted French crew.
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