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Secondary sourcePainting

Americae Retectio Title Page with Columbus on His Ship

An allegorical 16th-century-style print title page showing Columbus standing on his ship, surrounded by symbolic figures celebrating the discovery of America.

This allegorical print depicts Columbus on his ship, celebrating his voyage of discovery in symbolic form.

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Page from a bound book showing two engravings. Top: allegorical title plate 'Americae Retectio' with two medallion portraits, figures Flora and Janus, and a globe between draped cloth. Bottom: Columbus standing on a ship's deck with a banner, surrounded by sea figures.
Americae Retectio title page, Columbus on his ship. Albertina Museum, Austria.

About this source

What it is

This is a title page from a printed book called Americae Retectio ('The Discovery of America'). It combines two engravings: an allegorical scene with symbolic figures, portraits, and a globe, and a lower scene showing Columbus standing on his ship's deck, surrounded by sea figures. It is held today by the Albertina Museum in Austria.

Why it matters

This print was made long after Columbus's lifetime, as part of a tradition of celebrating his voyages through allegory. It shows how later generations in Europe imagined and mythologized Columbus's discovery, turning a real historical event into grand symbolic art.

Look closer

  • Why might the artist have used allegorical figures like Flora and Janus alongside Columbus?
  • What does this image suggest about how Europeans wanted to remember Columbus's voyage?
  • What is missing from this celebratory image of 'discovery'?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Christopher Columbus on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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