James COOK James COOK James COOK
Marton, Middlesbrough, 1728 – Hawaï, 1779 Marton, Middlesbrough, 1728 - Hawaii, 1779 Marton, Middlesbrough, 1728 - Hawaii, 1779
Huile sur toile
BHC2628 - Collection National Maritime Museum, Greenwich
James Cook est issu d’un milieu rural modeste. Employé dans la mercerie d’un village de pêcheurs, il est ensuite recruté dans la marine marchande. Cook devient mousse à dix-huit ans ; il peut ainsi étudier les mathématiques, la navigation et l’astronomie.
En 1769, il effectue son premier grand voyage d’exploration. Il découvre l’Australie et la Nouvelle-Zélande. En avril 1770, James Cook débarque à Botany Bay à Sydney. Il est le premier européen à poser les pieds sur la côte est de l’Australie. Son exploration permet à l’Angleterre de prendre possession du territoire et d’installer la première colonie anglaise en Australie.
Au cours de sa deuxième expédition (1772-1775) il est chargé d’explorer le continent austral et la Nouvelle-Calédonie. James Cook part à bord des navires Resolution et Adventure. Il découvre de nombreuses îles du Pacifique ; la Nouvelle-Calédonie, l’île de Norfolk, l’île de Pâques, des Marquises, et des Nouvelles-Hébrides.
Pour son troisième voyage, il a pour mission de trouver le passage du Nord-Ouest, reliant les Océans Atlantique et Pacifique, au nord du continent américain. James Cook découvre alors les îles Hawaï en 1778, qu’il nomme les îles Sandwich. Lors d’une querelle entre les marins et la tribu, il est battu à mort. Ses restes sont récupérés par l’équipage et ramenés en Angleterre. Lors de ses expéditions, J. Cook s’est accompagné de scientifiques qui ont collecté des spécimens botaniques (3 000 espèces de plantes) et rapporté des objets fabriqués par les populations rencontrées. J. Cook a décrit les tribus indiennes de l’île de Vancouver, des côtes de l’Alaska, des îles Aléoutiennes et des deux rives du détroit de Béring. Ses voyages ont ainsi permis une meilleure connaissance des îles océaniennes et d’établir les premiers échanges avec les peuples du Pacifique.
Spécialiste de la cartographie, James Cook a dressé les premières cartes terrestres et marines, ainsi que les premiers relevés de la faune et de la flore des îles du Pacifique.
En Europe, ses expéditions connaissent un immense succès à travers ses récits de voyages illustrés d’atlas.
Huile sur toile
BHC2628 - Collection National Maritime Museum, Greenwich
James Cook came from a modest rural background. Employed in the haberdashery of a fishing village, he was later recruited into the merchant marine. Cook became a ship’s boy at the age of eighteen ; this allowed him to study mathematics, navigation and astronomy.
In 1769, he made his first major voyage of exploration. He discovered Australia and New Zealand. In April 1770, James Cook disembarked at Botany Bay in Sydney. He was the first European to set foot on the east coast of Australia. His exploration allowed England to take possession of the territory and establish the first English colony in Australia.
During his second expedition (1772-1775) he was in charge of exploring the southern continent and New Caledonia. James Cook left on board the ships Resolution and Adventure. He discovered many islands in the Pacific ; New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, Easter Island, the Marquesas Islands and the New Hebrides.
For his third voyage, his mission was to find the Northwest Passage, linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, to the north of the American continent. James Cook discovered the Hawaiian Islands in 1778, which he named the Sandwich Islands. During a quarrel between the sailors and the tribe, he was beaten to death. His remains were recovered by the crew and brought back to England. During his expeditions, J. Cook was accompanied by scientists who collected botanical specimens (3,000 species of plants) and brought back objects made by the populations he met. J. Cook described the Indian tribes of Vancouver Island, the coasts of Alaska, the Aleutian Islands and both sides of the Bering Strait. His travels thus allowed a better knowledge of the Oceanic islands and to establish the first exchanges with the Pacific peoples.
A specialist in cartography, James Cook drew up the first land and sea maps, as well as the first records of the fauna and flora of the Pacific islands.
In Europe, his expeditions met with immense success through his travel accounts illustrated with atlases.
Huile sur toile
BHC2628 - Collection National Maritime Museum, Greenwich
James Cook veniva da un modesto ambiente rurale. Impiegato nella merceria di un villaggio di pescatori, fu poi reclutato nella marina mercantile. Cook divenne un ragazzo di bordo all’età di diciotto anni ; questo gli permise di studiare matematica, navigazione e astronomia.
Nel 1769, fece il suo primo grande viaggio di esplorazione. Ha scoperto l’Australia e la Nuova Zelanda. Nell’aprile del 1770, James Cook sbarcò a Botany Bay a Sydney. Fu il primo europeo a mettere piede sulla costa orientale dell’Australia. La sua esplorazione permise all’Inghilterra di prendere possesso del territorio e di stabilire la prima colonia inglese in Australia.
Durante la sua seconda spedizione (1772-1775) fu incaricato di esplorare il continente meridionale e la Nuova Caledonia. James Cook lasciò a bordo delle navi Resolution e Adventure. Scoprì molte isole del Pacifico : la Nuova Caledonia, l’Isola di Norfolk, l’Isola di Pasqua, le Marchesi e le Nuove Ebridi.
Per il suo terzo viaggio, la sua missione era quella di trovare il Passaggio a Nord-Ovest, che collega gli oceani Atlantico e Pacifico, nel nord del continente americano. James Cook scoprì poi le isole Hawaii nel 1778, che chiamò Isole Sandwich. Durante una lite tra i marinai e la tribù, viene picchiato a morte. I suoi resti furono recuperati dall’equipaggio e riportati in Inghilterra. Durante le sue spedizioni, J. Cook era accompagnato da scienziati che raccoglievano campioni botanici (3.000 specie di piante) e riportavano oggetti fabbricati dalle popolazioni incontrate. J. Cook descrisse le tribù indiane dell’isola di Vancouver, la costa dell’Alaska, le isole Aleutine ed entrambi i lati dello stretto di Bering. I suoi viaggi portarono a una migliore conoscenza delle isole oceaniche e ai primi scambi con i popoli del Pacifico.
Specialista in cartografia, James Cook ha redatto le prime mappe terrestri e marine, nonché le prime registrazioni della fauna e della flora delle isole del Pacifico.
In Europa, le sue spedizioni incontrarono un immenso successo grazie ai suoi resoconti di viaggio illustrati da atlanti.