The Portuguese voyages brought about a dramatic revolu-tion; they were the first real interaction among the cultures of the world in modern times and led to the creation of strik-ingly beautiful and highly original works of art. This incred-ible collection of images, drawn from a new Smithsonian ex-hibition, features more than 25o full-color reproductions of paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, maps, early books, andmany other extraordinary creations from museums and pri-vate holdings around the world. Essays by leading authorities shed new light on the period, especially on the motivations behind Portuguese expansion, including the remarkable story of the search for Eastern spices. Altogether, this book offers an unforgettable insight into a new world during its forma-tion.

Foreword

Anibal Cavaco Silva,

President of the Republic of Portugal

Foreword

Isabel Pires de Lima,

Minister of Culture, Portugal

Foreword

Etienne Davignon and Paul Dujardin,

Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels

Foreword

Julian Raby, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

Acknowledgements

A Note on the Maps

PORTUGAL AND THE WORLD

Jay A. Levenson

PORTUGUESE NAVIGATIONS

Diogo Ramada Curto

SPICES AND CHRISTIANS

Jack Turner

PORTUGAL

AFRICA

BRAZIL

INDIAN OCEAN

CHINA

JAPAN

Lenders to the Exhibition/

Photograph Credits

Contributors

Endnotes

Index