End of an Odyssey: The Fall of Captain James Cook in Hawaii in 1779

Name: End of an Odyssey: The Fall of Captain James Cook in Hawaii in 1779
Brand: Captain Cook voyages
SKU: BG-13599-10
Price: 255 USD
Availability: InStock

$255

€230 · dollar price at today's exchange rate

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Shipping to the United States: $51 standard, $73 express, insured and tracked.

Date: 1779
Maker: Captain Cook voyages
Kind: Views & Engravings
Size: 13 × 20 cm (5.1 × 7.9 in)
Condition: Good. Good. Light soiling, mostly around the borders, due to age and handling. This original antique print comes is protected by a matting board. Study the image carefully.
Period: The Early Republic
Places: Hawaii
Reference: BG-13599-10

What the condition grades mean

Excellent: Bright and clean, with no faults worth mentioning.
Very good: Only light signs of age, such as faint toning.
Good: Normal signs of age for a sheet of this period: toning, some foxing, small marks or neat old repairs.
Fair: Clear faults such as staining, tears or repairs, priced to match.

Every fault we see is written in the condition note, and the whole sheet is shown uncropped in the photos.

Guaranteed original. This is an original of the period stated, not a later reproduction or print-on-demand copy. If it is ever shown to be otherwise, we refund you in full.

Shipping to the United States. Sent from our gallery in Langweer, the Netherlands, flat between boards or rolled in a tube, and fully insured. Delivery and import charges.

About this piece

This original antique print is an engraving titled "The Murder of CAPT. COOK at O-Why-e-e." This historical print depicts the moment of Captain James Cook's death at Kealakekua Bay on the island of Hawaii, which was historically referred to as "Owhyhee" or "O-Why-e-e."

In the scene, Captain Cook is shown at the center of a violent encounter, with one hand raised, possibly in a gesture of defense or command, facing the Hawaiian Islanders who are depicted as agitated and armed with weapons. European sailors and marines are illustrated to the left, attempting to protect Cook or retaliate, while the right side of the engraving is filled with more islanders in motion, some with raised arms. The background includes a view of the shore with a ship, likely one of Cook's vessels, anchored in the bay.

This event took place in 1779, during Cook's third Pacific voyage, and the engraving serves as a dramatic representation of the final moments of one of the most famous explorers of the 18th century. The imagery reflects the European perspective of the encounter, which was often reproduced in travel narratives and history books following Cook's death.

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