In this scene, we see the King of France, Francois 1er, standing next to the admiral, Philippe de Chabot. He and his assistant, Chabot, are holding a large map, and the man kneeling is holding a smaller one. These maps will record all the territories and routes that Cartier will discover as he traverses the lands and waters. At the beginning of this panel, we see a dog happy to be with his little master-- a comic relief in an otherwise formal setting.
Francois 1er of France had commissioned Jacques Cartier to find a western passage to the wealthy markets of Asia. In the words of the King's commission, Jacque Cartier, was to "discover certain islands and lands where it is said that a great quantity of gold and other precious things are to be found". The King orders the treasurer of the French Navy to give Cartier 6000 livres to fund his journey.
Cartier set sail from St. Malo, On April 20, 1534. With the wind behind their backs, they crossed the Atlantic in 20 days. They spot land and disembark at St. Catherine. Many adventures are recorded in Cartier's Journal. He returned to France on September 1534. Instead of bringing back gold, Cartier brought back two Iroguois Indians, the sons of Chief Donnacona. Thus, began the start of diplomatic relations with the natives of St. Lawrence and France.