Antique print of a young Woman dancing on the Island of Tahiti, visited by Capt James Cook in 1777 during his 3rd and last Voyage of Discovery, after a painting by Cooks onboard artist John Webber. 

"Cook and his crew were treated to dancing, singing and music. Much attention has been paid to the costume, which William Anderson noted was “truly picturesque and elegant”. The long skirt is finished with a great tapa ruff attached at the back and balls of feathers cover the breast. The head-dress of plaited hair is adorned with Cape jasmine.” 

John Webber was born in London, of Swiss descent. In the spring of 1776 he showed three works at the Royal Academy\'s annual exhibition, where they attracted the attention of Dr Daniel Solander, President of the Royal Society and a friend and colleague of botanist Joseph Banks. Both had sailed with Captain James Cook on his first voyage of exploration in the Pacific aboard the \'Endeavour\', and were looking for a suitable artist to accompany them on a third trip. Solander recommended Webber to the Admiralty, and he was appointed almost immediately.

The voyage commenced on 12 July 1776. Upon his return to London in 1780, Webber submitted about 200 finished works to the Admiralty, which he had made on the voyage. From autumn 1780 until summer 1784, he re-drew many of the drawings and supervised the engravers and printers who were preparing the images for publication, under the direction of Lord Sandwich.

From a Dutch edition of Captain Cook's voyages: 'Reize rondom de Waereld door James Cook' (Captain Cook's Travels). From 1778 on printed editions of 'Captain Cook's Travels' appeared in English, Italian, French and Dutch. 

This publication is considered the foundation of modern knowledge of the Pacific and a cornerstone of the literature of travel and exploration. Captain Cook's Voyages are an iconic symbol of discovery and served not only to contribute to many diverse fields of knowledge but also to inspire many who followed after him. The knowledge accumulated during these explorations greatly expanded the awareness of the world's geography, and his writings, maps, and drawings significantly aided in future navigations, making sea travel much more certain and educating the general public.