O'Keeffe, John, 1747-1833. Omai, or a trip round the world

Date: 1779 - 1794

By: Loutherbourg, Philippe Jacques de, 1740-1812; Webber, John, 1751-1793; Wouvermann, active 1794; J Thane (Firm); Turnbull, Alexander Horsburgh, 1868-1918

Reference: B-085-007

Description: An allegorical elevation of the deceased Captain James Cook. Cook is floating above the scene of his death, Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii, his hat in his right hand. On his right is Britannia and on his left the winged figure of Fame with a trumpet. Fame is crowning Cook with a laurel wreath. Below are the cliffs of Kealakekua Bay with smoke from the guns of the seamen in small boats offshore, while a fighting group is just visible onshore to the left. The Resolution and Discovery (Cook's ships on his third voyage) are standing offshore to the right. Designed by John Webber, artist on Cook's last voyage, and de Loutherbourg for the stage spectacle of 'Omai or a trip round the world'. The final scene of this production required the allegorical elevation of Cook as a hero. It was published eight months after Webber's death. Mr George Baker, referred to in the title of the work, was a friend of Webber's and had a large collection of his drawings as well as related engravings. See Joppien and Smith: The Art of Captain Cook's Voyages, vol 3, p. 200-201. The Library's copy is a proof before lettering. The final printed version includes the wording of the title below the image and other changes, most notably rays of sunshine streaming out from the cloud above Fame. Cook has a sextant in his right hand, rather than his hat. In the proof the lines indicating the sky on the far right above the two ships end abruptly; in the final version the lines have been softened. The Library has a negative of the final version at 1/2-016988-F and it is reproduced in Joppien & Smith, op. cit, p. 201. The Library also has a copy of the final version amongst uncatalogued engravings bound into a volume of prints relating to Cook's voyages in the Special Printed Collection. Other Titles - Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii Wouvermann Inscriptions: Recto - bottom right - Apotheosis of Cook Wouvermann ?fecit [last word illegible; the whole inscription is in pencil in the hand of Alexander Turnbull over faint sepia ink]. 10/- [i.e. ten shillings, the price of this print] Quantity: 1 b&w art print(s). Physical Description: Engraving 265 x 219 mm (plate-mark) on sheet 445 x 294 mm (irregular) Provenance: Collection of Alexander Turnbull.

Date: 1785?

By: Webber, John, 1751-1793; Loutherbourg, Philippe Jacques de, 1740-1812; Turnbull, Alexander Horsburgh, 1868-1918

Reference: B-091-009

Description: Sketches of two Tahitian drums, basket-work and side and front views of a feather god-figures of Hawaii (Ku, God of War), a wooden temple god figure, and a Hawaiian altar. An axe and two paddles in the upper left corner may be Maori or Hawaiian. The artist is probably Philippe Jacques de Loutherbourg, copying several drawings by Webber and drawing artifacts from Cook's voyages first-hand from the Leverian Museum for the London production in 1785 of John O'Keeffe's play 'Omai or a trip around the world'. There are sizes written alongside several of the artifacts, e.g. '10ft' and '3ft'and these are much larger than the size of the actual artifacts, and are intended as instructions for makers of properties for the play. Compare the illustration "Basket-work figure of a Hawaiian god" by John Webber in J. Beaglehole's life of Captain Cook, v. 3 Pt 1, opp. p. 624. See also the engraving by Record after Webber "Various articles at the Sandwich Islands" from "A voyage to the Pacific Ocean ... by ... Captain ...and ... King. " London, Nicholl & Cadell, 1784. Atlas, plate 53. engraved by J. Record. (fR910.4 / COO / 1784). (Negative no. 32449 1/2) The British Museum yearbook 3 (1979), page 133, plate 66, in an article by Rudiger Joppien, attributes this to P J de Loutherbourg. Reproductions in publication: Reproduced in Murray-Oliver, Anthony. Captain Cook's Hawaii as seen by his artists. (Wellington, Millwood Press, 1975), p. 126, under title Various articles of the Sandwich Islands by an artist unknown. Other Titles - Artist unknown. Tahiti. Hawaii. Various articles of the Hawaiian Islands Inscriptions: Recto - Title and other figures. The word paddle is written beside both paddles. Quantity: 1 watercolour(s). Physical Description: 9 watercolour & ink sketches on sheet, 305 x 190 mm Provenance: Probably collection of Alexander HorsburghTurnbull

Date: 1779 - 1794

From: Discoveries in the northern hemisphere. Cook's voyages in the years 1776, 77, 78, 79, 80. Plates II

By: J Thane (Firm); Loutherbourg, Philippe Jacques de, 1740-1812; Turnbull, Alexander Horsburgh, 1868-1918; Webber, John, 1751-1793; Wouvermann, active 1794

Reference: PUBL-0229-2-164

Description: An allegorical elevation of the deceased Captain James Cook. Cook is floating above the scene of his death, Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii, his hat in his right hand. On his right is Britannia and on his left the winged figure of Fame with a trumpet. Fame is crowning Cook with a laurel wreath. Below are the cliffs of Kealakekua Bay with smoke from the guns of the seamen in small boats offshore, while a fighting group is just visible onshore to the left. The Resolution and Discovery (Cook's ships on his third voyage) are standing offshore to the right. Designed by John Webber, artist on Cook's last voyage, and de Loutherbourg for the stage spectacle of 'Omai or a trip round the world'. The final scene of this production required the allegorical elevation of Cook as a hero. It was published eight months after Webber's death. Mr George Baker, referred to in the title of the work, was a friend of Webber's and had a large collection of his drawings as well as related engravings. See Joppien and Smith: The Art of Captain Cook's Voyages, vol 3, p. 200-201. This copy includes the lettering of the title below the image. The Library also has an earlier proof before lettering on the previous page of this volume, and a still earlier proof before lettering in the Drawings, Paintings and Prints collection, reference number B-085-007. The earliest version (B-085-007) lacks the rays of sunshine streaming out from the cloud above Fame, and has Cook holding his hat, rather than a sextant in his right hand. In B-085-007 the lines indicating the sky on the far right above the two ships end abruptly; in this final version the lines have been softened. The Library has a negative of the final version with lettering at 1/2-016988-F and it is reproduced in Joppien & Smith, op. cit, p. 201. Other Titles - Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii Wouvermann Inscriptions: Recto - bottom right - outside plate mark. Pencilled 163, written by the Library Quantity: 1 b&w art print(s). Physical Description: Engraving 265 x 219 mm (plate-mark) on sheet 445 x 294 mm (irregular) Provenance: Collection of Alexander Turnbull?

Date: 1779 - 1794

From: Discoveries in the northern hemisphere. Cook's voyages in the years 1776, 77, 78, 79, 80. Plates II

By: J Thane (Firm); Loutherbourg, Philippe Jacques de, 1740-1812; Turnbull, Alexander Horsburgh, 1868-1918; Webber, John, 1751-1793; Wouvermann, active 1794

Reference: PUBL-0229-2-163

Description: An allegorical elevation of the deceased Captain James Cook. Cook is floating above the scene of his death, Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii, his hat in his right hand. On his right is Britannia and on his left the winged figure of Fame with a trumpet. Fame is crowning Cook with a laurel wreath. Below are the cliffs of Kealakekua Bay with smoke from the guns of the seamen in small boats offshore, while a fighting group is just visible onshore to the left. The Resolution and Discovery (Cook's ships on his third voyage) are standing offshore to the right. Designed by John Webber, artist on Cook's last voyage, and de Loutherbourg for the stage spectacle of 'Omai or a trip round the world'. The final scene of this production required the allegorical elevation of Cook as a hero. It was published eight months after Webber's death. Mr George Baker, referred to in the title of the work, was a friend of Webber's and had a large collection of his drawings as well as related engravings. See Joppien and Smith: The Art of Captain Cook's Voyages, vol 3, p. 200-201. This copy is a proof before lettering. The final printed version includes the wording of the title below the image. The Library also has an earlier proof before lettering in the Drawings, Paintings and Prints collection, reference number B-085-007. The earlier version (B-085-007) lacks the rays of sunshine streaming out from the cloud above Fame, and has Cook holding his hat, rather than a sextant in his right hand. In B-085-007 the lines indicating the sky on the far right above the two ships end abruptly; in this final version the lines have been softened. The Library has a negative of the final version at 1/2-016988-F and it is reproduced in Joppien & Smith, op. cit, p. 201. Other Titles - Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii Wouvermann Inscriptions: Recto - bottom right - outside plate mark. Pencilled 163, written by the Library Quantity: 1 b&w art print(s). Physical Description: Engraving 265 x 219 mm (plate-mark) on sheet 445 x 294 mm (irregular) Provenance: Collection of Alexander Turnbull?