Paul Brunton OAM, FAHA Emeritus Curator, State Library of NSW, Honorary Associate of the School of Philosophy and Historical Inquiry,
University of Sydney will present The Portraits of Captain James Cook in the Meeting Room, QVMAG at Inveresk 2.00pm Sunday 22nd March 2015
Admission: $6 General Public, $4 Friends of the Museum and Students
Free for members of The Royal Society of Tasmania
To assist us with the organization of this event
RSVP by Thursday 19th March 2015:
Email bookings@qvmag.tas.gov.au or telephone 6323 3798
There are only six authentic extant portraits of Captain James Cook (1728-1779) in the world, of which three are by the same artist, John Webber (1751-1793). Webber was the official artist on Cook’s third and last voyage. Three of these six portraits were unknown until after 1960 including both the portraits in Australia which are the first and last portraits of Cook to be painted. The stories of these contemporary portraits and the images of the great explorer made after his death give an insight into the man and the making of his legend. They helped create the legend of a man who selflessly died so that others might live, a great British hero but one of science not of war.
Paul Brunton, OAM, FAHA, is Emeritus Curator of the State Library of New South Wales, and Honorary Associate of the School of Philosophical and Historical Inquiry, University of Sydney. He was Senior
Curator, Mitchell Library, from 2002 to 2012 and Curator of Manuscripts from 1986 to 2000. He has a special interest in the European discoveries in the Pacific and was responsible for the acquisition of
a number of significant manuscripts and printed books on this subject for the Mitchell Library. His publications include Matthew Flinders: personal letters from an extraordinary life (2002).
