Details
French School, late 18th Century, after William Hodges, R.A.
O-Hedidee
unstretched and unframed
11 x 8½in. (28.9 x 21.6cm.)
After J.Caldwall's engraving (Cook (1777) I, pl. XXXV; JS 2.70A) of Hodges' red chalk drawing (JS 2.70)
O-Hedidee
unstretched and unframed
11 x 8½in. (28.9 x 21.6cm.)
After J.Caldwall's engraving (Cook (1777) I, pl. XXXV; JS 2.70A) of Hodges' red chalk drawing (JS 2.70)
Provenance
as Lot 50
The present picture follows the direction of Caldwall's engraving though abbreviates the deeper and wider format of the engraving which is shared by Hodges' drawing, thus losing some of the cloak at the bottom, cropping the background above the sitter to close to his head and to the sitter's right.
The present picture has slightly idealised the portrait, reducing the distinctive large and flat nose of Oedidee, typical of Raiatean natives, and a feature which was preserved in the engraving and, to a greater extent, in Hodges' three drawings of this sitter.
Joppien and Smith date Hodges' drawing to c. 1775. There are two earlier charcoal and red chalk sketches of the same sitter, datable to September 1773, in the collection of The Public Archives of Canada, Ottawa (JS 2.68 and 2.69). The present portrait derives from the group of drawings of Tahitians which includes the original drawing by Hodges for the previous sitter. Several of the Tahitians 'became well-known personalities to members of Cook's company. Such were Oedidee (Hiti-Hiti) who travelled on the Resolution with Cook between his first and second visits to the Society Islands, visiting Tonga, New Zealand, Antarctica, Easter Island and the Marquesas before returning to his homeland.' (Joppien and Smith, p. 59)
The present picture follows the direction of Caldwall's engraving though abbreviates the deeper and wider format of the engraving which is shared by Hodges' drawing, thus losing some of the cloak at the bottom, cropping the background above the sitter to close to his head and to the sitter's right.
The present picture has slightly idealised the portrait, reducing the distinctive large and flat nose of Oedidee, typical of Raiatean natives, and a feature which was preserved in the engraving and, to a greater extent, in Hodges' three drawings of this sitter.
Joppien and Smith date Hodges' drawing to c. 1775. There are two earlier charcoal and red chalk sketches of the same sitter, datable to September 1773, in the collection of The Public Archives of Canada, Ottawa (JS 2.68 and 2.69). The present portrait derives from the group of drawings of Tahitians which includes the original drawing by Hodges for the previous sitter. Several of the Tahitians 'became well-known personalities to members of Cook's company. Such were Oedidee (Hiti-Hiti) who travelled on the Resolution with Cook between his first and second visits to the Society Islands, visiting Tonga, New Zealand, Antarctica, Easter Island and the Marquesas before returning to his homeland.' (Joppien and Smith, p. 59)