The Death of Captain Cook. To the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of Great Britain &c. This Plate representing The Death of Captain Cook is humbly inscribed. By their Lordship's most obedient and devoted Servant, John Webber.
London: J. Webber, 1784. The separately published image by Webber of 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 engraved print, published as the Act directs 1st Jan. 1784, by J. Webber, No. 312, Oxford Street, and W. Byrne, No. 19, Titchfield Street, London. 24 x 18 3/4" impression mark. Old fold on top left corner nicely flattened, couple of marginal tears into impression mark but not into plate. A very crisp impression. Laid, watermarked paper. Item #12256
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