Theodor de Bry - [The French arrive in Florida]

The Native Americans were the first inhabitants of the Americas. They settled in different regions and formed independent tribes with distinct cultures. By 1492 there were over 300 separate native languages. When Christopher Columbus landed on October 12, 1492, he thought he had reached India, and called the native people Indians, a name which gave them a collective identity. The Indians, Columbus reported, "are so naive and so free with their possessions that no one who has not witnessed them would believe it. When you ask for something they have, they never say no. To the contrary, they offer to share with anyone...."

Jacques Le Moyne de Morgues (c. 1533 - c. 1588) was a French artist and explorer who accompanied the French expedition led by René Goulaine de Laudonnière to Florida in 1564. He is best known for his detailed illustrations of the flora, fauna and Native Americans he encountered during his time in Florida. Le Moyne was born in Dieppe, France, and trained as a Protestant artist. He was hired by Laudonnière to join the Florida expedition as an artist and cartographer. During his time in Florida, Le Moyne made numerous sketches and watercolours of the local wildlife, plants and landscapes. He also made detailed drawings of the Timucua, the indigenous people of the region. After the expedition ended in 1565, Le Moyne returned to France and produced a series of engravings based on his sketches and paintings. These engravings were published in 1591 in a book called Brevis narratio eorum quae in Florida Americae provincia Gallis acciderunt. The book was one of the earliest published accounts of the New World and was influential in shaping European perceptions of the Americas. Le Moyne's illustrations are highly regarded for their accuracy and attention to detail. They provide valuable insights into the natural history and culture of 16th-century Florida. Today, many of Le Moyne's original sketches and paintings are held in museums and archives around the world, including the British Museum and the Bibliothèque nationale de France.