Prints
Rare Copper-Plate Engraving of the Death of Captain James Cook in Hawaii by Claude-Mathieu Fessard, Paris
c. 1785, Rare Copper-Plate Engraving of the Death of Captain James Cook in Hawaii, titled: “Mort Tragique du Capitaine Cook, le 15 fevrier, 1779, sur la cote d'Owhy-hee, l'une des Isles Sandwich, decouverte par ce Navigateur.” by Fessard, Paris, Choice Extremely Fine.
Exceptionally rare and important, this is a separately issued Copper-Plate Engraving illustrating the Death of Captain James Cook in the Hawaiian Islands. Beautiful engraved, it measures about 9.25” x 8” edge to edge and retains its full, original wide margins. It is fully titled: “Mort Tragique du Capitaine Cook, le 15 fevrier, 1779, sur la cote d'Owhy-hee, l'une des Isles Sandwich, decouverte par ce Navigateur.” The rough translation of which reads: “Tragic death of Captain Cook, February 15, 1779, on the coast of Owhy-hee, one of the Sandwich Isles, discovered by Navigator.” This Print was Engraved and Published by Claude-Mathieu Fessard, Paris, after a drawing by John Webber. (Joppien and Smith, 3.305 A - Beddie, 2615)

In this fascinating and highly detailed view we see Captain James Cook at the edge of the shore at Kealakekua Bay. Hawaiian natives are gathered behind him brandishing spears, one raises a stave preparing to stab the Captain who holds a rifle at his side and gestures to the left in an attempt to stop his companions firing on the crowd. Members of his crew can be seen pulling away in a boat, others swimming towards it, other still on shore, fighting for their lives. A wounded officer seated on the ground in the foreground raises a rifle to fire at his Captain's attacker. It is a scene of mayhem, death, fear and bravery on the part of Captain Cook himself. This Engraving is well centered and has a wonderful deep impression such that all of the outer plate edges are easily seen impressed within the clean period laid paper.

Below the image is printed text in French detailing Cook’s biography and the circumstances of his death. Fessard published a number of variants of this important Engraving using the same image but with various versions of the text beneath the view. All were published shortly after the event was fully reported and it is somewhat difficult to sort out the timeline for the various issues but we are confident that the Engraving offered here was among the earliest produced.