The Death of Captain James Cook

Johann Zoffany painted The Death of Captain James Cook around 1795, a large historical painting depicting the famous explorer's death at Kealakekua Bay in Hawaii in 1779, which had been witnessed by one of Zoffany's own close contacts. The painting is one of the most complex and controversial British paintings of this period: Zoffany's depiction of the Hawaiian attackers and the chaotic circumstances of Cook's death has been debated for its representation of indigenous people, its historical accuracy, and its relationship to the colonial violence the scene depicts. As a historical reconstruction rather than a witnessed event, the work is Zoffany's most ambitious engagement with historical narrative.

Zoffany renders the violent confrontation with theatrical drama, contrasting the uniformed Europeans with the Hawaiian warriors in an exotic tropical setting. The meticulous attention to ethnographic detail and the dramatic composition show Zoffany's characteristic blend of documentary precision and artistic invention.