Portrait of James Cook

Portrait of James Cook is an oil on canvas portrait painting by the English Nathaniel Dance-Holland, from c. 1775. It is held in the National Maritime Museum, in Greenwich.

History and description

It depicts the British explorer and Royal Navy officer James Cook. Known for his voyages in the Pacific Ocean and visits to New Zealand, Hawaii and elsewhere, he was subsequently killed in Hawaii in 1779. Dance-Holland spent many years in Italy before returning to Britain to become a leading portrait painter.
Cook is portrayed seated in a room, with an open window into the sea. He is wearing the dress uniform of a captain and holds his own map of the Southern Ocean with his hand pointing to the eastern coast of Australia.