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Fine Art. Antique Prints, Maps and Drawings / 24-01-2026, 18:00 CET

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11034c_8de552202bee00d

This engraving depicts a significant historical encounter between Captain Samuel Wallis and Queen Purea (referred to as Oberea) on the island of Tahiti in 1767. The scene illustrates the formal exchange and interaction between the British naval party and the Tahitian people in front of a large, traditional open-sided structure, set against a lush tropical landscape with towering palm trees. This work was published as part of the official account of the voyages of discovery in the Southern Hemisphere, compiled by John Hawkesworth. The illustration served to document the first European contact with Tahiti for a global audience, capturing the ethnographic and ceremonial details of the meeting as perceived by the explorers of the Enlightenment era. John Hawkesworth was an influential English writer and editor who was commissioned by the Admiralty to compile and refine the official narratives of the Pacific voyages of Captain Byron, Captain Wallis, Captain Carteret, and Captain Cook. His multi-volume work, An Account of the Voyages undertaken by the order of His Present Majesty for making Discoveries in the Southern Hemisphere, became a massive commercial success and a foundational text in the history of exploration. While Hawkesworth provided the literary structure, the accompanying engravings were based on sketches by artists who accompanied the expeditions, such as Sydney Parkinson. His contributions were essential in shaping the European imagination regarding the South Seas and the cultures of Oceania during the late eighteenth century. Artist or Maker: John Hawkesworth and Robert Bénard. Dimensions: Approximately 38 cm x 26 cm. Medium: engraving. Date: 1774. 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.

John Hawkesworth (1715–1773) – Encounter between Captain Samuel Wallis and Queen Purea – engraving (1774)

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11035c_8de55220f9df790

This engraving depicts a dramatic naval confrontation between Captain Samuel Wallis's ship, the Dolphin, and numerous Tahitian outrigger canoes in 1767. The scene captures the moment the British vessel fired its cannons to repel an approach by local warriors, with large plumes of smoke billowing from the ship's side as Tahitian figures are seen both in the water and on a nearby rocky cliff. This work was published as part of the official account of the voyages of discovery in the Southern Hemisphere, compiled by John Hawkesworth. The illustration served as a significant visual record of early and often tense European contact with the peoples of Oceania, reflecting the ethnographic and maritime observations documented during the voyages of the Enlightenment era. John Hawkesworth was an influential English writer and editor who was commissioned by the Admiralty to compile and refine the official narratives of the Pacific voyages of Captain Byron, Captain Wallis, Captain Carteret, and Captain Cook. His multi-volume work, An Account of the Voyages undertaken by the order of His Present Majesty for making Discoveries in the Southern Hemisphere, became a massive commercial success and a foundational text in the history of exploration. While Hawkesworth provided the literary structure, the accompanying engravings were based on sketches by artists who accompanied the expeditions, such as Sydney Parkinson. His contributions were essential in shaping the European imagination regarding the South Seas and the cultures of Oceania during the late eighteenth century. Artist or Maker: John Hawkesworth and Robert Bénard. Dimensions: Approximately 38 cm x 26 cm. Medium: engraving. Date: 1774. 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.

John Hawkesworth (1715–1773) – Captain Wallis attacked in the Dolphin by the Tahitians – engraving (1774)

11036c_8de55221db80475

This engraving depicts a large New Zealand war canoe, or waka taua, manned by a numerous crew of Maori warriors. The vessel is shown in profile against a coastal landscape with distant hills, highlighting its long, narrow hull and the highly decorative, upright carvings at the bow and stern. This work was published as part of the official account of the voyages of discovery in the Southern Hemisphere, compiled by John Hawkesworth. The illustration served as an important ethnographic record for European audiences, documenting the sophisticated maritime engineering and artistic traditions of the Maori people as observed during the first voyage of Captain James Cook. John Hawkesworth was an influential English writer and editor who was commissioned by the Admiralty to compile and refine the official narratives of the Pacific voyages of Captain Byron, Captain Wallis, Captain Carteret, and Captain Cook. His multi-volume work, An Account of the Voyages undertaken by the order of His Present Majesty for making Discoveries in the Southern Hemisphere, became a massive commercial success and a foundational text in the history of exploration. While Hawkesworth provided the literary structure, the accompanying engravings were based on sketches by artists who accompanied the expeditions, such as Sydney Parkinson. His contributions were essential in shaping the European imagination regarding the South Seas and the cultures of Oceania during the late eighteenth century. Artist or Maker: John Hawkesworth and Robert Bénard. Dimensions: Approximately 26 cm x 42 cm. Medium: engraving. Date: 1774. 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.

John Hawkesworth (1715–1773) – War Canoe of New Zealand – engraving (1774)

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This engraving depicts two views of an intricately carved Maori treasure box, or wakahuia, used by the inhabitants of New Zealand. The illustration features one view of the closed rectangular chest and another with the lid partially removed, showcasing the dense, flowing patterns of traditional Maori wood carving that cover the entire exterior surface. This work was published as part of the official account of the voyages of discovery in the Southern Hemisphere, compiled by John Hawkesworth. The plate served as a significant ethnographic record, providing European audiences with a detailed look at the sophisticated artistic and functional craftsmanship of the Maori people as observed during the first voyage of Captain James Cook. John Hawkesworth was an influential English writer and editor who was commissioned by the Admiralty to compile and refine the official narratives of the Pacific voyages of Captain Byron, Captain Wallis, Captain Carteret, and Captain Cook. His multi-volume work, An Account of the Voyages undertaken by the order of His Present Majesty for making Discoveries in the Southern Hemisphere, became a massive commercial success and a foundational text in the history of exploration. While Hawkesworth provided the literary structure, the accompanying engravings were based on sketches by artists who accompanied the expeditions, such as Sydney Parkinson. His contributions were essential in shaping the European imagination regarding the South Seas and the cultures of Oceania during the late eighteenth century. Artist or Maker: John Hawkesworth and Robert Bénard. Dimensions: Approximately 26 cm x 20 cm. Medium: engraving. Date: 1774. 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.

John Hawkesworth (1715–1773) – Sculpted chest of the inhabitants of New Zealand – engraving (1774)

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This hand-colored engraving contains two distinct illustrations documenting aspects of West African history and the transatlantic slave trade. The left image depicts a lush coastal landscape of Sierra Leone, featuring local inhabitants and European figures near a settlement with sailing vessels anchored in the distance. The right portion of the plate provides three technical diagrams of a slave ship, showing a longitudinal section, a crowded deck plan, and a cross-section of the hull to illustrate the inhumane conditions and tight packing of captives during the Middle Passage. These illustrations were published as part of the Bilderbuch für Kinder, a landmark educational encyclopedia designed to provide children with a comprehensive visual understanding of the world, including geography, anthropology, and contemporary history. The plate serves as a powerful historical and educational record, reflecting the early nineteenth-century effort to document global regions and the realities of maritime commerce. Friedrich Justin Bertuch was a pioneering German publisher, writer, and entrepreneur based in Weimar, recognized for his significant influence on Enlightenment-era education. His most enduring legacy is the Bilderbuch für Kinder, which utilized high-quality engravings and hand-coloring to create a "window to the world" for young readers. By covering a vast array of subjects—from zoology and botany to world architecture and technology—Bertuch established a new standard for scientific and cultural publishing that aimed to be both scholarly and engaging. Artist or Maker: Friedrich Justin Bertuch. Dimensions: Approximately 24 cm x 20 cm. Medium: hand-colored engraving. Date: 1805. 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.