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“The natives of Otaheite attacking Captn Wallis the first Discoverer of that hospitable Island.”
Copperplate print engraved by William Grainger and published in Thomas Bankes' NewSystem of Geography, London, 1789.
Description:
Subject: The print depicts a dramatic moment during Captain Samuel Wallis’s 1767 encounter with the island of Tahiti (then called Otaheite). Wallis, commanding HMS Dolphin, was the first European to make sustained contact with Tahiti. The scene shows native Tahitians confronting Wallis and his crew, likely referencing initial hostilities before peaceful relations were established.
Historical Context: Though the title refers to Tahiti as a “hospitable island,” the print captures the tension and misunderstanding that often marked first contact between European explorers and indigenous peoples. Wallis later formed a peaceful relationship with Tahitian leaders, including Queen Grainger (del. et sculp.)
Artistic Style: Executed in copperplate engraving, the image is detailed and expressive, typical of 18th-century ethnographic illustrations. It combines elements of action and exoticism, reflecting European fascination with Pacific New Royal, Authentic and Complete System of Universal Geography, byThomas Bankes, Edward Warren Blake, Alexander Cook & Thomas Bowen, printedfor C. Cooke, No. 17, Pater-Noster Row, London (1789).
Physicaldescription:
· Antique copperplate print on paper, reverse sideblank, mounted in a double mat with backing board.
· Dimensions:Image size 16 x 18 cm (6.3 x 7.1 inches); mat size 35 x 38.5 cm (13.8 x15.2 inches).
· Condition: Good. The item presentswell and is in frameable condition, with a slight diagonal mark on the bottomleft corner, otherwise little to no noticeable flaws, spotting, offsetting,fading, or copperplate print is from Thomas Bankes'A New Royal, Authentic, and Complete System of Universal Geography (1789),a richly illustrated and ambitious 18th-century work that aimed to present acomprehensive view of global geography, ethnography, and exploration.
· Acquired by the Seller in 1995 from GerardWillems, Dealer in Fine & Rare Prints, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
