Death of Captain Cook Creamware Pitcher 
 
Liverpool 
1785 
9” 
 
This rare Liverpool pitcher, adorned with a transfer depicting "The Death of Captain Cook" by O Whylee natives, symbolizes the 18th-century era of European exploration and expansion in the Pacific. Captain James Cook, a renowned English explorer, undertook three significant voyages between 1768 and 1779, vastly improving European knowledge of the Pacific Islands and their cultures. This engraving likely captures scenes from these voyages, focusing on his engagements with indigenous peoples. The reverse side features an American ship.
 
Cook's first voyage on HMS Endeavour in 1768 aimed to observe the transit of Venus and explore the Southern Hemisphere, leading to the first European encounters with New Zealand and Australia's eastern coast. During his second journey from 1772 to 1775, Cook delved deeper into the South Pacific to investigate the existence of the fabled southern continent, Terra Australis. His third and final voyage, beginning in 1776, sought the Northwest Passage but ultimately resulted in exploration along the North American coast.
 
Throughout these expeditions, Captain Cook and his crew met various indigenous communities, documenting their customs, languages, and lifestyles. These encounters were multifaceted, involving both peaceful interactions and conflicts. The engravings from this era serve as visual records of these exchanges and the broader age of exploration, reflecting European perspectives on the "exotic" lands and peoples they encountered, often romanticizing or misrepresenting them. 
 
Condition: Excellent.