Lot Essay
After J. Hall's engraving of Hodges's red chalk drawing.
Hodges's original drawing probably dates to August 1773, during Cook's 'First Tropical Sweep' (June-October 1773) in search of a southern continent. The Resolution and Adventure had sailed north-east from southern New Zealand and anchored in Vaitepiha Bay, Tahiti on 18 August. They remained at the Society Islands from 18 August to 18 September 1773 before heading towards Amsterdam Island (Tongatapu or Tonga).
Cook and his crew enjoyed friendly relations with the inhabitants of Tahiti, enabling Hodges to execute his fine series of portraits of Tahitians: 'The masterpiece of this group is the splendid portrait of Tu, the founder of a dynasty. Tu, or Otoo as they called him, was the arii nui or leading chieftain of the Pare region of Tahiti, which lay adjacent to Matavai Bay. ... George Forster has provided vivid description of him: 'His head, notwithstanding a certain gloominess which seemed to express a fearful disposition, had a majestic and intelligent air, and there was great expression in his full black eyes.' Forster also tells us that he was 24 or 25 and was 6 feet 3 inches in height, the tallest man they had seen on the island. Cook thought him considerably older, about 30 or 35, and wrote that 'all his actions shew'd him to be a timerous Prince'. ... In his portrait of Tu ... Hodges has captured that blend of timidity, apprehension, intelligence and cunning with raised him from the position of a local chieftain to become the first ruler of the Tahitian Kingdom.' (R. Joppien and B. Smith, The Art of Captain Cook's Voyages, II, New Haven and London, 1985, p. 59).
Hodges's original drawing probably dates to August 1773, during Cook's 'First Tropical Sweep' (June-October 1773) in search of a southern continent. The Resolution and Adventure had sailed north-east from southern New Zealand and anchored in Vaitepiha Bay, Tahiti on 18 August. They remained at the Society Islands from 18 August to 18 September 1773 before heading towards Amsterdam Island (Tongatapu or Tonga).
Cook and his crew enjoyed friendly relations with the inhabitants of Tahiti, enabling Hodges to execute his fine series of portraits of Tahitians: 'The masterpiece of this group is the splendid portrait of Tu, the founder of a dynasty. Tu, or Otoo as they called him, was the arii nui or leading chieftain of the Pare region of Tahiti, which lay adjacent to Matavai Bay. ... George Forster has provided vivid description of him: 'His head, notwithstanding a certain gloominess which seemed to express a fearful disposition, had a majestic and intelligent air, and there was great expression in his full black eyes.' Forster also tells us that he was 24 or 25 and was 6 feet 3 inches in height, the tallest man they had seen on the island. Cook thought him considerably older, about 30 or 35, and wrote that 'all his actions shew'd him to be a timerous Prince'. ... In his portrait of Tu ... Hodges has captured that blend of timidity, apprehension, intelligence and cunning with raised him from the position of a local chieftain to become the first ruler of the Tahitian Kingdom.' (R. Joppien and B. Smith, The Art of Captain Cook's Voyages, II, New Haven and London, 1985, p. 59).