The Death of Captain Cook

[Cook, James] John Webber, F. Bartolozzi; W. Byrne]

Published by W. Byrne, No. 79 Titchfield Street & J. Webber, No. 312 Oxford St., London, 1785

About this Item

The separately published image by Webber that is infrequently found bound in the Atlas of the third voyage. One of the iconic images of the 18th century. Cook, already a successful navigator, was immortalized after his death at the hands of Hawaiian natives at Karakakoa Bay. Cook had spent two months on the Big Island in 1779 and was well received, the natives believing he was a God. When he was forced to return due to a damaged mast, he was viewed as a mortal who had already sorely stretched the supplies of the Hawaiians. It is also thought that his handling of the natives was uncharacteristically brusque, leading to conjecture that this consummate traveler's judgment was somehow impaired. Copper engraving, Published as the Act Directs 1st July 1785. 14 7/8 x 11" image size, trimmed within impression mark, small margins. Top right corner damaged, not affecting image. A very nice copy of an important separately published engraving that is occasionally included in the atlas to accompany Cook's last voyage. National Library of Australia PIC Drawer 1329 #S1091; Joppien and Smith, 3.305A.

Seller Inventory # 22659

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Death of Captain Cook
• Publisher: W. Byrne, No. 79 Titchfield Street & J. Webber, No. 312 Oxford St., London
• Publication Date: 1785
• Seller catalogs:
  • COOK, JAMES
  • AUSTRALIA
  • HAWAII