Hawaiian Dancer Engraving, Sandwich Islands Figure Study, Cook Voyage, c.1790

Name: Hawaiian Dancer Engraving, Sandwich Islands Figure Study, Cook Voyage, c.1790
Brand: Captain Cook voyages
SKU: BG-13599-43
Price: 300 USD
Availability: InStock

$300

€269 · dollar price at today's exchange rate

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

Date: 1790
Maker: Captain Cook voyages
Kind: Views & Engravings
Size: 33 × 21.5 cm (13 × 8.5 in)
Condition: Good. Condition for its age, with light age-related toning and some minor spotting, mainly in the margins. The impression remains strong and clear. Plate mark visible.
Period: The Early Republic
Places: Hawaii
Reference: BG-13599-43

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 elegant late 18th-century copperplate engraving presents a striking full-length depiction of a Hawaiian man in ceremonial dance, titled “A Man of the Sandwich Islands Dancing.” Published in London circa 1787–1790 as part of Thomas Bankes’s New System of Geography, the print reflects Europe’s growing fascination with the cultures of the Pacific following Captain James Cook’s voyages.

The composition centers on a single dynamic figure, captured mid-movement with one leg raised and arms extended, conveying both rhythm and balance. The dancer holds a circular shield adorned with radiating elements, while his body is decorated with tattoos, carefully rendered to emphasize both physical form and cultural identity. He wears a traditional loincloth (malo) and distinctive leg ornaments, which would have produced sound during performance, reinforcing the connection between movement, music, and ritual.

The scene is set within a lightly sketched tropical landscape, with a thatched structure and vegetation in the background, grounding the figure within its environment while maintaining focus on the sculptural quality of the body. The engraving reflects the neoclassical influence of the period, presenting the figure with an almost idealized anatomy while simultaneously aiming to document cultural practices observed during exploration.

The image is based on the work of John Webber, the official artist on Cook’s third voyage (1776–1780), whose drawings provided one of the earliest visual records of Hawaii, then known as the “Sandwich Islands.” These engravings played a key role in shaping European perceptions of the Pacific and remain important examples of early ethnographic illustration.

As a decorative piece, this engraving is particularly strong. The single-figure composition, balanced negative space, and refined line work make it highly suitable for framing as a statement piece. It works beautifully in both classic and contemporary interiors, especially in settings inspired by travel, anthropology, or global design.

Framing tips: Best presented with a generous ivory or off-white mat to emphasize the plate mark and isolate the figure. A dark walnut or black frame enhances contrast and highlights the engraving’s sculptural quality.

Technique: Copperplate engraving

Maker: Thomas Bankes (after John Webber), London, circa 1787–1790

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