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Secondary sourcePaintingcirca 1900

Vasco da Gama Presenting the First Fruits of India to D. Manuel

Unknown · circa 1900

A later print imagining da Gama presenting treasures from India to King Manuel I after his famous voyage.

Depicts da Gama returning from India and presenting treasures to the king who sponsored his voyage.

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Sepia-toned engraved print of a seated king in a feathered cap and robe on a throne. A richly dressed man gestures toward a table holding an orb, a chain, and other objects. Armored attendants stand at right, and a shield hangs on the wall.
Unknown artist, Vasco da Gama apresenta a D. Manuel as primícias da Índia, c. 1900.

About this source

What it is

This is a sepia engraved print made around 1900, depicting Vasco da Gama presenting goods and treasures from India to King Manuel I of Portugal. The creator is not named in the record.

Why it matters

The scene refers to da Gama's return from his voyage to India, bringing items to show the Portuguese crown the riches of the new trade route he had opened. As a much later artwork, it reflects how Portugal later celebrated Gama's achievement and King Manuel's role in sponsoring it, more than it documents the actual event.

Look closer

  • What objects on the table are shown as 'first fruits' of India, and why might they have been chosen?
  • How does the artist use clothing and posture to show who holds power in the scene?
  • Since this was painted centuries later, what can and can't it tell us about the real event?

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

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