This turn-of-the-20th-century watercolour by Canadian artist Walter Baker depicts the arrival of Cartier’s three ships at the site that would later become Québec City. We can see canoes with Indigenous people accompanying them. The mound in the background is Cape Diamant, where Québec City was established.

1535 - 1536

Jacques Cartier’s first voyage

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!

Meeting on the river

Walter Baker This turn-of-the-20th-century watercolour by Canadian artist Walter Baker depicts the arrival of Cartier’s three ships at the site that would later become Québec City. We can see canoes with Indigenous people accompanying them. The mound in the background is Cape Diamant, where Québec City was established.

Chronoscope Can you identify other elements in this image? (unilingual French for a limited time)

Depicted period: 1535

Source: Library and Archives Canada Document in the public domain (free of copyright) - Acquisition No. 1989-606-20 - Date: circa 1900

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