This engraving is after a drawing by John Webber from John Hawkesworth's account (1773) of the voyages of Captain James Cook, Joseph Banks and Captain John Byron.

Captain James Cook (1728-1779) made three separate voyages to the Pacific (with the ships Endeavour, Resolution, Adventure, and Discovery) and did more than any other voyager to explore the Pacific and Southern Ocean. Cook not only encountered Pacific cultures for the first time, but also assembled the first large-scale collections of Pacific objects to be brought back to Europe. He was killed in Hawaii in 1779.

John Webber was the artist on Cook’s third voyage from 1776-1780.

The Resolution and the Discovery visited Avacha Bay, Kamchatka between 29 April to 16 June 1779. Many of the drawings from this period show snowy scenes, especially of the town and harbour of St Peter and St Paul.

This engraving is a three-quarter view of a woman looking towards the left. She is wearing a head-scarf with side-flaps over either shoulder.

This and the other portraits of the inhabitants of Kamchatka seem still to have been taken during the winter period.

‘The woman followed the Russian Fashion are were dressed in Russian and Chinese Manufacturers.’ Cook/King (III), 200.

Loosely bound in album with PAI3893-PAI3933, PAI3935-PAI3936.; Plate No.76.