Discoveries Monument Sepia
by Joan Carroll
Title
Discoveries Monument Sepia
Artist
Joan Carroll
Medium
Photograph - Digital Art
Description
Exploring the world was a team effort back in the 15th century and the Discoveries Monument in Belem (near Lisbon) Portugal is a testament to that. Sculptures of important historical figures who played a part in the discoveries line both sides of the prow of this monument. Seen on this side are Prince Henry the Navigator, holding a model of a caravel and a map, leading the charge. Behind him are Vasco de Gama with his eyes of the horizon and his hand on his sword. Magellan holds a circle, representing the round earth his ship circumnavigated, while Pedro Cabral ('discoverer' of Brazil) stands in front of him. Various monks, navigators with maps, and crusaders with flags complete the crew. The Monument to the Discoveries was originally built for the 1940 World Exhibition. It celebrated the achievements of explorers during the Age of Discoveries and the creation of Portugal's empire. The monument was only built as a temporary structure and it was demolished a couple of years after the closure of the exhibition. The monument seen today is an exact replica of the original one. It was built in 1960 on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of Henry the Navigator's death. The Age of Discoveries started in 1415 with the capture of the North African city of Ceuta by the Portuguese and reached a peak at the turn of the sixteenth century when Vasco da Gama discovered a shorter route to India and Pedro Alvares Cabral discovered Brazil. The creation of trade posts and colonies on the new trade routes led to a Portuguese empire that spanned three continents, bringing wealth to Portugal and Lisbon in particular.
FEATURED PHOTO, Exploration Photography group, 1/21/16
Uploaded
January 20th, 2016
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