Is there a painting from before the colonization of the Americas depicting travelers from far away visiting European nobles?

Question

Is there a painting from before the colonization of the Americas depicting European nobles being entertained or given gifts by travelers from far away places, such as sub-saharan Africa or India?I'm talking about a European visiting such a distant place, then returning with some items from there, and then visiting European nobility to entertain them with stories - and that visit being painted.

Answer 1

Yes and no. The artworks that were created prior to full colonization of many native locations were more so in a "documentation" manner. They primarily utilised illustration and photography as it was more easily transportable, though there are occasions where painting was utilised such as The Kongouro from New Holland by George Stubbs. Essentially, they would document through art what they saw in terms of people and landscapes.

Something to keep in mind is that anything from the colonial perspective must not be taken at face value. The Native American photography by Edward S. Curtis, for example, was heavily manipulated in terms of staging and location. In other words it is nowhere accurate to their actual culture.

Alternatively, there is a painting called Penn's treaty with the Indians by Benjamin West. The interesting thing about this piece is that it was created way after colonization, in 1771. It is a made up / romanticized version of what occurred for the first trade between colonists and Native Americans.

In short, many pieces from before colonization will most likely be exaggerated to depict savagery, cultural stereotypes, exoticism and romanticism. I hope you find this helpful!