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!
Théophile Hamel, after François Riss
This famous portrait of Jacques Cartier is by Quebec artist Théophile Hamel. Painted in 1866, it became very popular in Canada in the following years. It was reproduced in thousands of copies on stamps and on the Canadian dollar in the late 19th century. However, it was inspired by an earlier portrait of Cartier painted in France by another artist.
We use browser cookies to operate and enhance our services, as well as for advertising purposes. Your privacy is important to us. If you're not comfortable with the use of this information, please review your settings before continuing your visit. Personal Information and Privacy
Our website stores four types of cookies. At any time you can choose which cookies you accept and which you refuse. You can read more about what cookies are and what types of cookies we store in our Cookie Policy.
are necessary for technical reasons. Without them, this website may not function properly.
are necessary for specific functionality on the website. Without them, some features may be disabled.
allow us to analyse website use and to improve the visitor's experience.
allow us to personalise your experience and to send you relevant content and offers, on this website and other websites.
