A Dance in Otaheite

Webber sketched and painted many scenes of Tahitian dance and ceremony in September 1777 during James Cook's third Pacific voyage. This dance or heiva corresponds to one mentioned in Cook's journal where he was treated to a play by the sisters of Otoo - the principal chief of Tahiti.

The British Admiralty appointed John Webber as the artist on Captain James Cook's third expedition (1776-1780). The engraving is part of a series of 78 plates, based on some of Webber's many drawings from the voyage, by various engravers. They were first printed as part of an Atlas volume accompanying the journals of the expedition commanders, titled A voyage to the Pacific Ocean, undertaken, by the command of His Majesty, for making discoveries in the northern hemisphere, etc.

The engravings were made, with Webber's assistance, from his original sketches and watercolours, and subjects include Indigenous people, artifacts and views from the Pacific Islands, North America, Alaska and Siberia.