Diplomatic Dawn: The First Encounter of Wallis with Queen Oberea of Tahiti, 1801

€ 320

One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.

Date: 1801
Sheet size: 26.5 × 20 cm (10.4 × 7.9 in)
Condition: Good
Reference: BG-13597-24

Condition

Good. Dirt spot left above the image due to handling. This is not a reproduction but an original engraving of over 200 years old. Aged paper with typically warm, yellowish-brown hue. Some of the text is lightly frayed. Study the image carefully.

About this sheet

The engraving titled "Interview Between Captain Wallis And Oberea, Queen Of Otaheite" captures a pivotal moment between British explorer Captain Samuel Wallis and the Tahitian Queen Oberea. It portrays the initial diplomatic exchange that occurred after Wallis's arrival on the island of Tahiti in the 18th century. This image, rich in detail, depicts a scene of cross-cultural engagement, with Wallis's party and Tahitian figures set against a backdrop of lush tropical vegetation and traditional structures, emblematic of the encounters during the Age of Discovery.
This is a circa 1801 copperplate engraving from George Alexander Cooke's "Universal Geography" .

The print is part of George Alexander Cooke's comprehensive work "A Modern and Authentic System of Universal Geography." This book was a significant compilation of geographical knowledge during the late 18th century, offering descriptions and accounts of various parts of the world, influenced by the age of exploration. It includes narratives of famed explorers like Captain James Cook and Ferdinand Magellan, detailing their discoveries and journeys that expanded the European understanding of the globe. Cooke's work served as both a chronicle and reference for the territories and cultures encountered by these voyagers.