Engravings of Hawkesworth & Captain James King: Chroniclers of Capt. Cook, 1784

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Commemorative Portraits of John Hawkesworth and Captain James King by Thornton

This detailed engraving, crafted by the artist Thornton, presents a pair of oval portraits depicting two influential figures associated with Captain James Cook's historic voyages. On the left, we have John Hawkesworth, L.L.D., a writer and editor who was entrusted with the formidable task of revising and publishing the accounts of Cook's pioneering first voyage to the Pacific. Appointed by Lord Sandwich, the First Lord of the Admiralty, in 1771, Hawkesworth's resulting work spanned three volumes and covered narratives edited from Cook's own journals, as well as the expeditions of Cook's predecessors in the Southern Oceans. Despite the controversy and criticism it garnered—Cook himself being among the detractors—Hawkesworth's account remains a significant historical document of 18th-century exploration.

To the right stands Captain James King, L.L.D., F.R.S., an esteemed astronomer and naval officer who played a crucial role during Cook's third voyage. Recommended by Dr. Thomas Hornsby, King was appointed as second lieutenant on the Resolution and, following Cook's untimely death in 1779, took charge of completing the voyage and documenting the final chapters of Cook's journey. His dedication to finishing Cook's narrative was a testament to his commitment, cut short by his own early demise due to tuberculosis in 1784.

Thornton's engraving not only captures the visages of these men but also immortalizes their contributions to the annals of maritime exploration. The artwork, likely published posthumously, serves as a timeless tribute to their legacy, with each portrait framed by a decorative oval border and linked by an elegant drapery motif, signifying their connected fates through the voyages they helped bring to the world's attention.