Bilder John Webber (1751-1793) – View of a Dance in Otaheite – Etching and engraving (1784)

Beskrivning

"A Dance in Otaheite." This work depicts a ceremonial dance performed by two women in Tahiti, observed by a large assembly of islanders and members of the British expedition. The dancers are shown in elaborate traditional costumes with large fans or feather implements, performing before a thatched structure set against a lush tropical landscape with palm trees. This large folio engraving is from the official account of Captain James Cook's third and final voyage, A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean, published in London in 1784. The plate is significant for providing one of the most famous and influential eighteenth-century visual records of Polynesian culture, capturing the social customs and artistic expressions of the Pacific Islands for a European audience.

John Webber was an English artist and traveler who served as the official expedition artist on Captain James Cook's third voyage to the Pacific aboard the HMS Resolution. Trained in London and Paris, Webber was tasked with documenting the people, landscapes, and natural history of the regions visited, which included the South Sea Islands, the Northwest Coast of America, and Hawaii. His meticulous drawings and subsequent engravings were central to the massive success of the voyage's published journals, establishing a new standard for ethnographic and topographical accuracy in travel illustration. Webber’s work was instrumental in shaping the Enlightenment-era perception of the Pacific, and he was later elected a member of the Royal Academy in recognition of his contributions to art and science.

Artist or Maker:
John Webber.

Dimensions:
Approximately 40 cm x 55 cm.

Medium:
Etching and engraving.

Date:
1784.

Condition Report:
This work is in good condition overall. There may be a few minor imperfections or fox or mottled marks to be expected with age. Please review the images carefully for condition details, and feel free to contact us with any questions or for a comprehensive condition report.