Death of Captain Cook by John Cleverly the Younger, 1784
The original version of this painting was discovered in 2004. You can see it here. How does the original change the image of Captain Cook? Why do you think it was changed?
John Cleverly created his artworks based on his brother James’ sketches, as James Cleverly was a crew member on the voyage.
Image description
A bustling group of Hawaiians and marines fight on the shore of Kealakekua Bay, with more of Cook’s crew firing from several small boats in the water. The figure of Cook on the shore is illuminated through a cloud of white dust behind his head. He holds a musket gun with one hand and holds the other hand up towards the boats in a gesture indicating for them to stop firing. His head is turned over his right shoulder, where he sees a Hawaiian raising a spear as if to strike.
Description of the original version of the painting
A group of Hawaiians face off against a group of Cook’s crew including Cook himself. The Hawaiians raise clubs, preparing to strike. Rather than facing towards the boats, Cook is turned fully towards the Hawaiians, preparing to strike them with the blunt end of his musket gun. Two dead Hawaiians lie in the foreground.
- How do each of these sources compare to the eyewitness accounts that you read? What are the differences, and what are the similarities?
- How do you think Europeans who saw these depictions might have viewed Captain Cook? How might they have remembered him?
- Look at the newer depictions of Cook listed below – how do they differ from the depictions you have looked at so far? How do they affect Cook’s legacy?
- Captain James Crook (2013) by Jason Wing
- James Cook – with the Declaration(2014) by Vincent Namatjira
- Cook’s Folly (2017) by Lisa Reihana. This is a still image from a longer video work, in Pursuit of Venus [infected] (2015-17). You can read a description of the scene in which Cook dies here (Track 4, ‘Disruption’).