Portrait of John Webber by Johann Mottet, 1812. Bernisches Historisches Museum Berne
John Webber, 1751- 1793 was the official painter on Cook's third and last voyage of 1776-1780.
Dr Daniel Solander, the Swedish naturalist who had sailed on the first voyage with Cook and Banks saw and admired Webber's works exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1776 and, knowing that no artist had been appointed for the next voyage of the Resolution, he recommended the twenty-four year old Webber. Webber received his appointment from the Admiralty at 100 guineas a year on 24th June 1776, joined Resolution at Plymouth on July 5th, sailing one week later.
The terms of his commission were almost identical to those for William Hodges four years earlier on Cook’s second voyage:
“Whereas we have engaged Mr John Webber Draughtsman and Landskip Painter to proceed in His majesty’s Sloop under your command on her present intended voyage, in order to make Drawings and Paintings of such places in the Countries you may touch at in the course of the said Voyage as may be proper to give a more perfect idea thereof than can be formed by written descriptions only; You are hereby required and directed to receive the said Mr John Webber on board giving him all proper assistance, Victualling him as the Sloop’s company, and taking care that he does diligently employ himself in making Drawings or Paintings of such places as you may touch at, that may be worthy of notice, in the course of your voyage, as also such other objects and things as may fall within the compass of his abilities”
Cook wrote in his Journal: “And, that we might go out with every help that could serve to make the results of our voyage entertaining to the generality of readers, as well as instructive to the sailor and scholar, Mr Webber was pitched upon, and engaged to embark with me, for the express purpose of supplying the unavoidable imperfections of written accounts, by enabling us to preserve, and to bring home, such drawings of the most memorable scenes of our transactions, as could be expected by a professed and skilled artist”.
Webber's appointment was a success. He was popular with his shipmates, and his work was appreciated too. He was obviously an assiduous and enthusiastic worker. He penned, crayoned, and water-coloured his way around the world, producing a large volume of material - from lightning quick field sketches, to worked-up drawings, to complete compositions. He amply fulfilled his task of making an accurate record of landscape and 'memorable scenes', as well as doing competent portraits.
He returned in October 1780, following Cook's death, with over 200 drawings and some twenty portraits in oils and was reappointed by the Admiralty at £250 a year to make oil paintings based on his drawings. These were the illustrations for the official account of the voyage. He then supervised the engravings made of the pictures to enable them to be printed and published.
Portrait of John Webber by Johann Mottet, 1812. Bernisches Historisches Museum Berne
John Webber, 1751- 1793 was the official painter on Cook's third and last voyage of 1776-1780.
Dr Daniel Solander, the Swedish naturalist who had sailed on the first voyage with Cook and Banks saw and admired Webber's works exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1776 and, knowing that no artist had been appointed for the next voyage of the Resolution, he recommended the twenty-four year old Webber. Webber received his appointment from the Admiralty at 100 guineas a year on 24th June 1776, joined Resolution at Plymouth on July 5th, sailing one week later.
The terms of his commission were almost identical to those for William Hodges four years earlier on Cook’s second voyage:
“Whereas we have engaged Mr John Webber Draughtsman and Landskip Painter to proceed in His majesty’s Sloop under your command on her present intended voyage, in order to make Drawings and Paintings of such places in the Countries you may touch at in the course of the said Voyage as may be proper to give a more perfect idea thereof than can be formed by written descriptions only; You are hereby required and directed to receive the said Mr John Webber on board giving him all proper assistance, Victualling him as the Sloop’s company, and taking care that he does diligently employ himself in making Drawings or Paintings of such places as you may touch at, that may be worthy of notice, in the course of your voyage, as also such other objects and things as may fall within the compass of his abilities”
Cook wrote in his Journal: “And, that we might go out with every help that could serve to make the results of our voyage entertaining to the generality of readers, as well as instructive to the sailor and scholar, Mr Webber was pitched upon, and engaged to embark with me, for the express purpose of supplying the unavoidable imperfections of written accounts, by enabling us to preserve, and to bring home, such drawings of the most memorable scenes of our transactions, as could be expected by a professed and skilled artist”.
Webber's appointment was a success. He was popular with his shipmates, and his work was appreciated too. He was obviously an assiduous and enthusiastic worker. He penned, crayoned, and water-coloured his way around the world, producing a large volume of material - from lightning quick field sketches, to worked-up drawings, to complete compositions. He amply fulfilled his task of making an accurate record of landscape and 'memorable scenes', as well as doing competent portraits.
He returned in October 1780, following Cook's death, with over 200 drawings and some twenty portraits in oils and was reappointed by the Admiralty at £250 a year to make oil paintings based on his drawings. These were the illustrations for the official account of the voyage. He then supervised the engravings made of the pictures to enable them to be printed and published.