William Hodges was the first professional European artist to visit Tahiti, a key site in all three of Captain CookÂ’s voyages. Matavai Bay was the site of the first contact between Europeans and native people of the island during a key period of exploration and discovery. Hodges perfectly captures the singular landscape and atmosphere of the Pacific environment, the fishing boat in the foreground, with both precision and dramatic imagination.
More information
Title of artwork, date
Matavai Bay, Tahiti, 1773–1774
Date supported
2008
Medium and material
Pen, ink & watercolour on paper
Dimensions
37.6 x 54.6 cm
Grant
25000
Total cost
90000
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