Figures & Portraits · 18th century
€ 140
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Good. Soiling and some browning due to age and handlng, mostly around the edges. One small chip in left top corner missing but plate mark with image intact. Check the image carefully.
A head and shoulders frontal portrait of a man named by Cook as Mourua, of Mangaia, Cook Islands, visited by Cook in March 1777.
Title: "Portrait of a Mangean Islander by John Webber"
This striking engraving by A. Warren, based on the artwork of John Webber, offers a glimpse into the visage of a man from Mangea, an island in the South Pacific Ocean. Webber, the official artist on Captain James Cook's third voyage, was renowned for his detailed and humanizing portrayals of indigenous peoples encountered during the expedition. This piece likely dates from the late 18th century, during a period of European exploration that sought to document and understand the wider world. The man is depicted with a distinctive hairstyle and facial features, set against a backdrop of clouds, symbolizing the remote and ethereal nature of his homeland.
