Tuhituhi: William Hodges Cook

Discover the profound insights of 'Tuhituhi: William Hodges Cook,' an essential hardback volume published by Otago University Press. This comprehensive study delves deep into the art of William Hodges, who served as the official artist on Captain Cook's historic voyages to the South Pacific. In a remarkable 346 pages, this book unearths fresh theoretical perspectives on the representational challenges of Hodges' early paintings. It encourages readers to explore these works as moments of rich cross-cultural exchange that challenge postcolonial narratives. The book is thoughtfully divided into geographical and chronological sections that follow Cook's journey on the Resolution. Each chapter provides an extensive analysis of significant paintings capturing the breathtaking landscapes and seascapes that defied 18th-century artistic conventions such as 'picturesque' and 'sublime.' From critical examinations of Hodges' artistry to discussions on his lasting influence, including his notable impact on renowned New Zealand artist Colin McCahon, 'Tuhituhi' is a must-have for art historians, students, and enthusiasts alike. Don't miss the chance to enrich your understanding of Pacific art and culture with this illuminating text. Browse Smartfox NZ today and elevate your art book collection with this captivating study on William Hodges' legacy.

Author: Laurence Simmons Publisher: Otago University Press
Bind: hardback
Dimensions: 170 x 240 mm
Pages: 346


This study of the art of William Hodges opens fresh theoretical perspectives on the representational problems raised by these early paintings produced in the South Pacific. Following Pacific Island historians of the 1960s, it argues that it is possible to read the texts and visual material produced from early South Seas encounters against the grain, as moments of cross-cultural exchange that challenge postcolonial complacencies. Tuhituhi is presented in sections that follow the geographical and chronological progression of Cook’s voyage on the Resolution, for which William Hodges was hired as official artist, Cook’s ‘landskip painter’. Painters like Hodges found themselves staring again and again in disbelief at landscapes and seascapes that stretched 18th-century conventions of painting, such as the ‘picturesque’, the ‘sublime’ and the ‘beautiful’. Each chapter of Tuhituhi focuses on the close reading of a significant painting of a South Pacific location by Hodges. The last chapter considers the important influence of Hodges’ work on a series of paintings by the major twentieth-century New Zealand painter Colin McCahon.