Research Catalog

Title

Dances of French Polynesia in prints [graphic].

Publication

[179-?-184-?]

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Sherwin, J. K. (John Keyse), 1751-1790.
• Webber, John, 1751-1793.
• Cook, James, 1728-1779.
• Lafond de Lurcy, Gabriel, 1802-1876.
• Hogg, Alexander, active 1778-1819.

Description

• 4 prints : engraving, etching, b&w; 23 x 35 cm. or smaller.
• 2 prints : etching, hand-colored ;

Summary

Representations of dances from the islands of French Polynesia, including Otaheite (Tahiti), Ulietea (Raiatea, in the Society Islands), Les Marquises (the Marquesas Islands), and Nouka-Hiva (Nuka Hiva, the largest of the Marquesas). The depictions of Otaheite include a single figure of a female dancer, and two versions of a dance by a pair of standing female dancers, each with a male dancer squatting beside her. The dance scene from Ulietea centers on two female dancers in elaborate costumes, accompanied by male musicians playing the nose-flute and drums. The shadowy figure at far left may be playing a gourd instrument, or perhaps offering liquid refreshment. The print captioned "Danse caracterisque" from the Marquesas depicts a tattooed couple dancing together. "Nouka-Hiva, Mascarades des naturels" portrays a procession of figures in fanciful masks and costumes, watched by two women.

Alternative Title

• Habit of a young woman of Otaheite dancing
• Dance in Otaheite

Subjects

• Dance > French Polynesia > Raiatea
• Engravings
• Etchings
• Dance > French Polynesia > Marquesas Islands
• Dance > French Polynesia > Nuka Hiva
• Dance > French Polynesia > Tahiti (Island)
• Mask dances > French Polynesia > Nuka Hiva

Genre/Form

• Engravings.
• Etchings.

Note

• Title devised by cataloger.
• Stamped on the verso of the print captioned Habit of a young woman of Otaheite dancing: Stead Coll.

Source (note)

• Lillian Moore.
• Lincoln Kirstein.

Biography (note)

• The three prints depicting dances of Otaheite are copies of engravings by J.K. Sherwin after John Webber, the official artist on Captain James Cook's third voyage to the Pacific Ocean. Sherwin's engravings were published in 1784 in Voyage to the Pacific Ocean ... 1776-1780. Noble's engraving of "Habit of a young woman of Otaheite dancing" and Heath's engraving of "A dance in Otaheite" reverse the images seen in Sherwin's prints. "An exact representation of a dance in Otaheite," engraved by Lodge after Webber, copies Sherwin's print with differences in drawing.
• The prints labeled Les Marquises and Nouka-Hiva are apparently illustrations to Gabriel Lafond de Lurcy's Voyages autour du monde et naufrages célèbres, first published in Paris in 1843-1844.

Contents

Habit of a young woman of Otaheite dancing / Noble sculp. -- A dance in Otaheite / Webber del. ; Heath sculp. -- An exact representation of a dance in Otaheite; London, Alex[ande]r Hogg / Webber delin. ; Lodge sculp. -- Representation of a dance, in the island of Ulietea -- Les Marquises, Danse caracteristique; Paris, Drouart; [captioned at lower right] Voyage auteur du monde et naufrages célèbres / de Villiers sculp. -- Nouka-Hiva, Mascarades des naturels; Paris, Drouart / Villiers sculp.

Call Number

*MGZFX Fre 1-6

OCLC

• 825551228
• 825551228

Title

Dances of French Polynesia in prints [graphic].

Imprint

[179-?-184-?]

Biography

The three prints depicting dances of Otaheite are copies of engravings by J.K. Sherwin after John Webber, the official artist on Captain James Cook's third voyage to the Pacific Ocean. Sherwin's engravings were published in 1784 in Voyage to the Pacific Ocean ... 1776-1780. Noble's engraving of "Habit of a young woman of Otaheite dancing" and Heath's engraving of "A dance in Otaheite" reverse the images seen in Sherwin's prints. "An exact representation of a dance in Otaheite," engraved by Lodge after Webber, copies Sherwin's print with differences in drawing.

The prints labeled Les Marquises and Nouka-Hiva are apparently illustrations to Gabriel Lafond de Lurcy's Voyages autour du monde et naufrages célèbres, first published in Paris in 1843-1844.

Local Note

Cataloging funds provided by Friends of Jerome Robbins Dance Division.

For J.K. Sherwin's engraving of A young woman of Otaheite dancing, see: *MGZFH She J You 1.

For an unattributed variant (reversed image) of J.K. Sherwin's engraving of A young woman of Otaheite dancing, titled Habit of a young woman of Otaheite dancing, see: *MGZFD Hab 1.

For J.K. Sherwin's engraving of A dance in Otaheite, see: *MGZFH She J Dan 1.

Source

A dance in Otaheite Gift; Lillian Moore.

Les Marquises, Nouka-Hiva Gift; Lincoln Kirstein.

Connect to:

NYPL Digital Collections

Local Subject

Mask dances -- French Polynesia -- Nuka Hiva.

Added Author

Sherwin, J. K. (John Keyse), 1751-1790. Associated name

Webber, John, 1751-1793. Artist

Cook, James, 1728-1779. Associated name

Lafond de Lurcy, Gabriel, 1802-1876. Associated name

Hogg, Alexander, active 1778-1819. Publisher

Moore, Lillian. Donor

Kirstein, Lincoln, 1907-1996. Donor

Research Call Number

*MGZFX Fre 1-6