Australia, Queensland, Kangaroo Thomas Cook / Stubbs, 1774, Quadrupede nommé Kanguroo, trouvé sur la Côte de la Nle. Hollande

Rare c.18th engraving of the Kangaroo, from the French edition of the accounts of Cook's first voyage, published in 1774, the year after the English edition (1773). The title in the English versions was: [The Kanguroo, an Animal found on the Coast of New Holland] This engraving is based on the first illustration of a "Kangaroo" drawn from an Australian species, drawn by George Stubbs from a specimen collected at Endeavour River in 1770 by James Cook's crew while the Endeavour was being careened and issued in the official accounts of the voyage of the Endeavour. This iconic image captured the public's imagination for over sixty years and was the first depiction of any Australian animal in western art. Confusion exists as to the original species described, based on the specimens brought back by Cook and the subsequent painting by Stubbs. This situation arose in the comparisons of drawings and photographs which are the only records of the lost original specimens, with Parkinson's sketch made on 23rd June 1770 at Endeavour River and the later Stubbs painting. Parkinson's sketches and paintings of natural history subjects held in public institutions, clearly show prodigious artistic talent, and his sketch of a kangaroo made on the spot, is certainly a more realistic depiction than the later version painted by Stubbs that has exaggerated features. Stubbs had the disadvantages of not seeing a live animal and only having the dried skin that was brought back by Cook to work from. It is probable that the skin was firstly re-hydrated and then inflated for Stubbs to be able paint the animal. It has been established that the kangaroos collected on Cook's expedition near Cooktown were specimens of the Grey Kangaroo, Macropus giganteus (Roland Strachan CВОМ р.244).

Published in the 1774 French edition of Hawkesworth's 1773 account of Cook's voyages.

It follows the 1772-1773 English edition engraved by William Whitchurch and published in 1773.

Very good condition

Image 21x16cm, page 25x19cm