This engraving, likely after a drawing by artist William Hodges, comes from the official account of Cook's second voyage, 'A Voyage towards the South Pole', published by Strahan and Cadell in 1777.

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.
William Hodges (1744 - 1797) joined Cook's second expedition to the South Pacific as a draughtsman 1772-75 and was employed by the Admiralty in finishing his drawings.

This drawing was probably taken from a drawing from Cook’s second visit to New Zealand between October 22 and November 26th, 1773. In Hawkesworth’s account, this image is said to be engraved by Michel after Hodges’ ‘drawn from nature.’ This is likely a Maori Chieftain (the tattooing on the face and the clothing are very similar to the Portrait of a Maori Chieftain, also done by Hodges).

This is the second of two such engravings.

Mounted in album with PAI4078-PAI4105, PAI4107-PAI4214.; Page 152.