James Cook (1728–1779)

Image credit: National Portrait Gallery, London

How you can use this image

This image can be used for non-commercial research or private study purposes, and other UK exceptions to copyright permitted to users based in the United Kingdom under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised. Any other type of use will need to be cleared with the rights holder(s).

Review the copyright credit lines that are located underneath the image, as these indicate who manages the copyright (©) within the artwork, and the photographic rights within the image.

The collection that owns the artwork may have more information on their own website about permitted uses and image licensing options.

Review our guidance pages which explain how you can reuse images, how to credit an image and how to find images in the public domain or with a Creative Commons licence available.

Notes

Add or edit a note on this artwork that only you can see. You can find notes again by going to the ‘Notes’ section of your account.

The son of a Yorkshire labourer, Captain Cook honed his navigation skills on small trading boats sailing from Whitby. Described as 'a good mathematician and very expert in his business', he was chosen to command the Royal Navy ship the Endeavour in 1768, despite being a lower-ranking officer. This was the first of three important voyages of discovery to the Pacific, charting land, sea and stars. He is most famous for charting the coasts of New Zealand, the Pacific coast of North America and the east coast of Australia, where he was the first British captain to land. On his third voyage to the Pacific, from 1776 to 1779, he was killed in an attack by Hawaiian natives who had previously worshipped him as a god.

National Portrait Gallery, London

London

Title

James Cook (1728–1779)

Date

1790

Medium

marble

Measurements

H 58.4 x W (?) x D (?) cm

Accession number

984

Acquisition method

purchased, 1895

Work type

Bust

Inscription description

incised and dated

Tags

See a tag that’s incorrect or offensive? Challenge it and notify Art UK.

Help improve Art UK. Tag artworks and verify existing tags by joining the Tagger community.

Normally on display at

National Portrait Gallery, London

St Martin’s Place, London, Greater London WC2H 0HE England

This venue is open to the public. Not all artworks are on display. If you want to see a particular artwork, please contact the venue.
View venue