1785 | three engravings of ATOOI Island Kauai Hawaii

Description: PRINTS BOOKS PHOTOGRAPHS MANUSCRIPTS CURIOSITIES - THREE ORIGINAL 18TH CENTURY ENGRAVINGS ILLUSTRATING COOK'S THIRD VOYAGE -CAPTAIN COOK'S THIRD VOYAGE (his third and final expedition, between 1776-1780, which resulted in his death in Hawaii in 1779).Three original engravings of Atooi island [Kauai] in the Hawaiian archipelago, showing an exterior village view, a panorama of the local cemetery and statues inside a temple, from 'Cartes et figures du troisième voyage de Cook', the atlas volume to the first French edition of the account of the third voyage [1776-1780], published in 1785. Pair of original copper engravings. Engraved by Benard after pictures by John Webber, official artist on Cook's third voyage. Captioned in French at foot 'Une vue de l'interieur de l'isle d'Atooi.', 'Cimetiere d'Atooi.' and 'Interieur d'un morais d'Atooi.', with engraver's details 'Benard direxit' in the bottom right of each, within the plate mark, alongside the plate numbers [35,36,37]. From 'Cartes et figures du troisième voyage de Cook', the atlas volume to the first French edition of the account of Cook's third voyage [(Paris): Hôtel de Thou, 1785]. Size: (sheets) approx. 40.4cm x 25.6cm / 50.5cm x 26.4cm / 30.2 x 36.1cm.Very Good condition. Nicely preserved examples. Each with light vertical folds from original binding (2 folds to 2 plates, and 1 fold to 1 plate). Line of pale discolouration down left edges of two plates from previous binding stubs, and down centre of the other plate. Two small marginal stains along the bottom edge of one plate, and one on bottom edge of another. Light creasing to a few corners. Please ask if you require a more detailed condition report, or view gallery images.An excellent triptych of engraved views of Atooi (Kauai) Island in the Hawaiian archipelago, from the first French edition of Cook's third voyage. The Cook expedition arrived off Atooi on January 18, 1778."James Cook and his crews were the first haole to visit the Hawaiian archipelago when they arrived on the island of Kauaʻi on 18 January 1778. In the first few days of encounter with Hawaiians, a warrior by the name of Kapupuʻu took some iron from the ship by force, as he had planned to, and was shot and killed. Later that evening, perhaps as a show of force, shots were heard coming from the ship and a display of fireworks was seen. Hawaiians hearing and seeing these activities thought it might be Lonomakua, an akua, or deity, who is a keeper of fire, and they sought war with him. "Kamakahelei, the chiefly mother of Kaumualiʻi, encouraged them to appease the akua rather than engage with him, sending her own granddaughter ‘as a woman’ for Cook, or ‘Lono’ as he was called. In this version of Cookʻs visit, drawn from sources recorded in the Hawaiian language, we have evidence of Hawaiian deliberation, planning and decision-making – something often missing in English language accounts, which lack access to the ‘reason’ and reasons behind native thoughts and actions, native beliefs and ceremonial practice." [Noelani Arista, 'Encountering history: ‘Discovery’ and ‘Resolution’ revisited', British Library]. key words:

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End Time: 2025-02-05T18:25:02.000Z

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