Cook & Omai: The Cult Of The South Seas
Condition: SECONDHAND
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Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: No dust jacket
Pages: Good
Markings: No markings
Condition remarks: Condition as shown in image
A richly illustrated work of cultural and art history, Cook & Omai: The Cult of the South Seas chronicles the extraordinary fascination that eighteenth-century Britain developed with the Pacific world following Captain James Cook's celebrated voyages of exploration. At its heart is the remarkable story of Omai, a young man from Ra'iatea who traveled to England in 1774 and became a celebrated figure in London society, sitting for portraits by Sir Joshua Reynolds and captivating the imaginations of artists, writers, and the public alike. The work presents a compelling examination of how Cook's expeditions ignited a powerful cultural mythology around the South Seas, shaping European ideas of the noble savage and paradise lost. With scholarly authority and visual richness, it illustrates how the encounter between Pacific peoples and European explorers reverberated through art, literature, and popular culture for generations. This is an essential read for anyone interested in the history of exploration, colonialism, and the Western artistic imagination.
Author: National Library of Australia in association with the Humanities Research Centre, The Australian National University
Format: Paperback
Published: 2001, National Library of Australia in association with the Humanities Research Centre, The Australian National University
Genre: Travel & exploration
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: No dust jacket
Pages: Good
Markings: No markings
Condition remarks: Condition as shown in image
A richly illustrated work of cultural and art history, Cook & Omai: The Cult of the South Seas chronicles the extraordinary fascination that eighteenth-century Britain developed with the Pacific world following Captain James Cook's celebrated voyages of exploration. At its heart is the remarkable story of Omai, a young man from Ra'iatea who traveled to England in 1774 and became a celebrated figure in London society, sitting for portraits by Sir Joshua Reynolds and captivating the imaginations of artists, writers, and the public alike. The work presents a compelling examination of how Cook's expeditions ignited a powerful cultural mythology around the South Seas, shaping European ideas of the noble savage and paradise lost. With scholarly authority and visual richness, it illustrates how the encounter between Pacific peoples and European explorers reverberated through art, literature, and popular culture for generations. This is an essential read for anyone interested in the history of exploration, colonialism, and the Western artistic imagination.