3-042-357 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

The Portuguese Embassy, c1380s; Chroniques (Book Three), about 1480-1483. Additional Info: On the porch at the left, a Portuguese diplomat accepts a golden cup, a gift from Richard II of England. The presentation of the gift signified that Richard had agreed to support Portugal in its war efforts. On the right, inside a building, the Portuguese delegation arrives home to recount its success with the English. The king of Portugal sits beneath a cloth canopy greeting his ambassador. The strong vertical pillar of the building both divides the miniature into two distinct scenes and helps to inform the viewer that the two events are separated in time and place.