James Cook op audiëntie bij George III
Medium
etching
Dimensions
57; 95
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
height 95 mm x width 57 mm
Art Historical Context
Daniel Nikolaus Chodowie, a prolific Polish-German printmaker of the late 18th century, captures a pivotal moment in this intimate 1790 etching titled *James Cook op audiëie bij George III*James Cook at Audience with George III). Measuring just 95 mm high by 57 mm wide, the work exemplifies Chodowiecki's mastery of small-scale etchings, which were hugely popular for book illustrations and personal collections across Europe. His style blends Rococo elegance with emerging Neoclassical clarity, rendering historical scenes with fine lines and expressive detail to evoke both grandeur and humanity. The scene depicts the renowned British explorer Captain James Cook being received by King George III, likely commemorating Cook's triumphant return from his second Pacific voyage (1772–1775). Cook, famed for charting vast oceans, "discovering" Australia and Hawaii, and advancing navigation, symbolized Britain's imperial ambitions during the Enlightenment. This posthumous print—Cook died in 1779—highlights royal patronage of science and exploration, underscoring how monarchs like George III celebrated voyages that expanded maps and knowledge. Etching allowed Chodowiecki to achieve remarkable precision in such a tiny format, making the artwork accessible yet historically resonant. As director of the Prussian Academy of Arts, he produced thousands of prints like this, educating the public on heroic figures and moral tales. A charming window into 18th-century celebrity and curiosity!
About the Artist
Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki · 1726–1801
Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki (1726–1801) was a German painter and printmaker of Polish-Huguenot descent who became the most celebrated graphic artist in 18th-century Germany. Born in Danzig (now Gdańsk), he created approximately 2,000 etchings that serve as an invaluable visual record of German bourgeois life during the Enlightenment. Largely self-taught, Chodowiecki moved to Berlin in 1743 and ach...