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Original 1777 William Hodges Engraving: Woman of Sta. Christina (Cook Voyage)
Description:
Offered for sale is a rare, authentic 18th-century copperplate engraving titled “Woman of Sta.
Christina.” This significant historical print was drawn from life by William Hodges (1744–1797), the official expedition artist who accompanied Captain James Cook on his famed Second Pacific Voyage (1772–1775).
Published in London on February 1, 1777, by William Strahan and Thomas Cadell, this engraving appeared in the official account of the expedition, “A Voyage Towards the South Pole, and Round the World.”
Hodges’ work from this voyage is historically renowned for providing some of the earliest European visual documentation of Polynesian cultures.
Historical Significance
The subject is a woman from "Sta. Christina," an island now known as Tahuata, located in the Marquesas Islands. As a primary source document from one of the most important exploration voyages in history, this engraving is a prized acquisition for collectors of Captain Cook, 18th-century exploration, and Pacific ethnography.
Print Details
Medium: Original copperplate engraving with likely period hand-coloring.
Artist: William Hodges (1744–1797), drawn from life.
Dimensions: Sheet size is approximately 11½ × 9 inches.
Provenance: Published in London, 1777, by Wm. Strahan & Thos. Cadell.
Condition
This piece is in very good condition considering it is over 240 years old. As expected with an item of this age, it exhibits light age toning, scattered foxing, and visible plate impressions consistent with its origin in an 18th-century bound volume. Please review all photographs carefully to appreciate the condition and the fine detail of the engraving.
