'South' Exhibition
7 - 21 October 2023. 10 - 4.30pm daily
Pūmanawa Gallery, First floor, Boys’ High building, The Arts Centre, 28 Worcester Boulevard, Christchurch.
ANTARCTICA
The existence of a vast and rich southern continent known as Terra Australis, that we now know as Antarctica, dates back to the time of the ancient Greeks who believed a vast southern landmass was necessary in order to ‘balance’ the landmasses in the northern hemisphere. Many nations (especially the Dutch and the British) gave special instructions to their explorers to find it and claim it for their respective countries.
MAPPING AND CHARTING ANTARCTICA
Despite Britan’s reputation as a maritime nation, they came late to the field of mapping the world and new discoveries concentrating more on their own country hence many maps are by other nations, in particular France, Italy and Holland (many of which are included in this Exhibition).
Fortunately, the “Heroic Era” including the exploration of Antarctica coincided with the production of atlases and early colour printing techniques (e.g. chromolithography). Up until this time charts and maps were hand-coloured copper or steel engravings. Both types of mapping are represented in this Exhibition. It is important to note that much of the early exploration in the south seas was undertaken by commercial whalers and sealers.
NEW ZEALAND AND ANTARCTICA
New Zealand has played and continues to play a pivotal role in Antarctic exploration. Not only has it been the “base” for many early Antarctic explorers such as Scott and Shackleton but it continues to support international research. Many historical artifacts are stored or displayed in the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch. The International Antarctic Centre at the Christchurch Airport gives a “popular” experience to the Antarctic while a number of tourist type excursions to the south seas leave from this country.
Click the images to enlarge.
1. 1720 Map by Johann Baptist Homann
$1950
This map was made in 1720 by Johann Baptist Homann. The allegorical scenes around the map, with a text in Latin, are a rich combination of science, fantasy and art work. Celestial models and numerous cherubs and wind heads are illustrated. New Zealand and Australia are poorly known and Terra Australis Incognita is indicated. There is a mythical land bridge, Terra Esonis, in the Berring Sea and California is wrongly depicted as an island. The routes of the explorers Abel Tasman and Ferdinand Magellan are shown.
2. 1710 Map by Henri-Abraham Chatelain
$2550
Made in 1710 by Henri-Abraham Chatelain, this map with text in Latin shows a little-known world at this time. California is wrongly featured as an island, there is a mythical land bridge between Russia and North America and the North and South polar regions are referred to as inconnues (unknown). It is proposed that Terra Australis or Antarctica as we now know it is huge encompassing Australia, New Guinea and much of the Southern Ocean. The top insets feature an image of the sun and moon and the tracks of several explorers are shown.
3. 1739 Map by Claude Buffier
$480
A very early French hand-coloured map of the world attributed to Claude Buffier (1661-1737) and made in 1739 after his death. It wrongly depicts California as an island, a mythical land bridge between Asia and North America, and an outline of the mythical southern continent Terra Australis Incognita is suggested. New Zealand is depicted as Tasman’s outline and much of the world is poorly known.
THE VOC
In the VOC there was an administrating board of 17 known as the Gentlemen XVII. The VOC was a ‘megacorporation’ founded in the early 1600s by the Dutch Government to specialise in trade with the “Far East”. It issued bonds and shares of stock to the general public, was publicly listed, and was therefore the world’s first public company to be listed on an official stock exchange. The VOC was the forerunner of the modern corporation and it was also possibly the first to have a globally recognised corporate logo.
VOC stands for Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie, or The United East India Company.
Tasman received instructions from the VOC to discover and claim the Southern continent we now know as Antarctica. The Dutch were at the time the world’s leading maritime nation and map makers.
Click the images to enlarge.
4. Dutch East India Company (VOC)
$760
TOP: Detail of the working of a Dutch East India Company (VOC) boat yard. This engraving was made by J. Moulder and is dated 1694. Over the 200-year life of the VOC some 1500 ships were built.
BOTTOM: After completion, most VOC ships were moored in the northern port of Texel, including Abel Tasman’s two ships – the Zeehaen and Heemskerk. A copper plate engraving c. 1700.
NEW ZEALAND AND A SOUTHERN CONTINENT
The story of the exploration of the Antarctic continent therefore began with Abel Tasman and Captain James Cook who were both sent by their respective governments to find and claim Antarctica.
Tasman’s tantalising glimpse of New Zealand at the time did little more than stoke the embers of those that believed that New Zealand was in fact part of Terra Australis. However, Cook proved conclusively that New Zealand was in fact made up of separate islands which he sailed around and charted.
He was however instructed on his second voyage to search for and determine the extent of this southern continent (see Bowen's chart below).
At the time of Captain Cook’s first voyage to New Zealand, many still believed in the existence of a vast southern continent (Terra Australis) of which New Zealand was a part. This theory was dispelled by Cook when he established New Zealand as three separate islands which he sailed around and charted. He was however, instructed on his second voyage to continue the search for a southern continent.
Click the images to enlarge.
7. 1697 Twin Globe by Herman Moll
$420 SOLD
A hand-painted twin globe of the world made in 1697 by the map maker Herman Moll (1654-1732). The polar regions are unexplored, New Zealand is shown as Tasman’s outline, Australia and New Guinea are poorly known, California is wrongly, depicted as an island, and there is a mythical land bridge connecting Northern Russia and America called ‘Compagnies Land’.
8. 1753 Hand-coloured Chart by Johann Cristoph Rhode
$1250
A rare and detailed early map of the Southern Ocean and Antarctica from the equator to the South Pole. Australia and New Guinea are poorly known and New Zealand is represented by Abel Tasman’s outline. The Sub-Antarctic Islands are yet to be charted and no landmarks are on the continent of Antarctica. It was not until 1769 that Captain James Cook charted New Zealand and the east coast of Australia. This map was published by Leonhard Euler (1707-1783) who was credited as being one of the greatest mathematicians during the period of the Enlightenment. Born in Switzerland, he worked most of his life in Russia and Germany although this map is in Latin. Hand-coloured chart made in 1753 by Johann Cristoph Rhode – see his initials bottom left.
9. Twin Globe Map of World by John Gibson
$1250
A twin globe map of the world made about 1770 by John Gibson (1750-1792). It shoes New Zealand as Tasman's outline with no exploration on the Antartic continent within what is referred to as the "Antarctic Circle" although the North Polar Region is shown separately above.
10. 1748 Engravings of George Anson's Voyage
$980
Before Cook, there had been a number of voyages to the Pacific. These hand-painted engravings, dated 1748, illustrate commodore George Anson's voyage and circumnavigation of the globe with view of the islands off the South-West coast of South America. His main ship, the Centurion, made it back to England but of the 1854 original crew members, only 188 survived.
11. 1748 Chart of Captain Anson Voyage
$340
An early chart showing the track of Captain Anson voyage around the World. Made about 1748 by Richard William Seale. Anson (a Frenchman) was instructed to man a squadron of ships to conquer richly laden Spanish galleons his expedition was almost obliterated in the process and many ships and crews lost. Note in his chart New Zealand is still uncharted, California is wrongly depicted as an island, and North America, Australia and New Guinea are poorly known.
ENGRAVINGS OF NEW ZEALAND AT THE TIME OF COOK
On each of his three expeditions Captain Cook spent time in New Zealand. These are some of the engravings that his artists made at the time. As well as images from other explorers at the time. They are all authenticated engravings.
Click the images to enlarge.
14. Carte Reduite des Mers Entre L’Asie et L’Amerique
$3,700
This chart is attributed to Jacques Nicolas Bellin, map-maker to the King of France, and as the cartouche suggests, was made under the direction of M. Le Compte De Maurepas, the secretary of state to the King of France. The chart has many rumb lines (marine survey lines) and shows the Pacific before the wave of exploration which began in the 1760s. New Zealand is illustrated by Tasman’s outline with names to his landfalls. In accordance with the ‘working charts’ of the time decoration was kept to a minimum.
15. Captain James Cook – Chart of New Zealand (French Engraving)
$6,400
Captain James Cook (1728-1779), explorer, circumnavigator and hydrographer. Cook chartered the coastline of New Zealand between 1769 and 1770 during his first voyage on the Endeavour 1768-1771. On his return to England an account of his voyage was published in English, Italian, French and Dutch. In these publications appeared his best-known chart – that of the coastline of New Zealand. This French printing of his voyage was published in Paris and the engraver was Robert Benard (1750-1785).
20. Table des Differentes Langues de la Mer du Sud
$420
Tupaia was a well-respected Tahitian priest that Cook invited to accompany him on the Endeavour. Tupaia claimed to have an extensive knowledge of the islands of the Pacific and because of the similarities of the spoken languages across the Pacific, proved invaluable as an interpreter particularly in New Zealand. This table, published in the late 1700s, illustrates this.
22. Riviere Tamise et Bay Mercure
$1,100
Cook’s chart of the Coromandel and the River Thames Estuary. It shows the route of his ship, the Endeavour, and its soundings, together with Mercury Bay where the transit of Mercury (across the face of the sun) was observed on the 9th of November 1769.
Also featured is the Bay of Islands and Tolaga Bay (see engraving of natural rock archway). Original copper plate engravings dated 1774 from Cook’s first expedition on the Endeavour.
23. Fortified Pa, Mercury Bay
$480
Fortified pā on an arched rock in Mercury Bay, known to the Māori as Te Putao Paretauhinau (the hole of Paretauhinau). This has now been eroded away by the sea and only the side supports remain. This copper plate engraving was made in 1773 to illustrate Cook’s voyage to New Zealand. It depicts the Endeavour’s longboat and a Māori canoe fishing.
The accompanying engraving illustrates a rock archway in Tolaga Bay as drawn by both Captain Cook and his artist Sydney Parkinson in 1769. The Māori in this engraving holds a huata (long spear).
28. Hand-coloured Māori Pā or Hippah on Motuara Island
$260 - SOLD
A Māori pā or hippah on Motuara Island in the Marlborough Sounds. The Marlborough Sounds is where Captain Cook spent time on all three of his expeditions to New Zealand. An original engraving made in 1796. The image was originally drawn by John Webber in the 1770s, the artist on Cook’s third voyage, and the pā was described by Cook on his first voyage.
30. Carte de la Nouvelle Zeelande
$1,850
This is Captain Cook’s chart of New Zealand showing the tracts of his ship, the Endeavour, with dates and soundings etc. The insets are of Cook’s charts of Cook Strait, the Bay of Islands, Tolaga bay and the River Thames/Coromandel. It was made c. 1778 by Rigobert Bonne, the royal cartographer to France who was considered one of the most important map-makers of the time.
31. Map of Early New Zealand by John Tallis & Co
$1,180
This map of early New Zealand was made 1851-1852 by John Tallis and Co. It has the reputation for being one of the most sought-after maps of New Zealand. It was engraved by the highly-skilled engraver John Rapkin and its importance lies in its accuracy and the hand-painted historical vignettes (views) of early New Zealand 170 years ago as they were in the year 1850, showing Auckland, Wellington and Mt Egmont (Taranaki) from New Plymouth. It also features the official “New Zealand Seal” at the time (top-right) and the border, a motif of early Māori carving.
32. Twin Hemisphere Map of the World
$4,500
This twin hemisphere map of the world was made by the well-known French mapmaker, Robert de Vaugondy in 1782, shortly after Captain Cook’s three voyages. It shows Cook’s new discoveries and traces in detail his voyages as well as those of other early explorers, including Abel Tasman.
33. John Tallis and Co Map of the World
$475
John Tallis and Co. map of the world showing Cook’s voyages c. 1851. Drawn and engraved by J. Rapkin. His maps are prized for his decorative, hand-painted vignettes of indigenous scenes, peoples etc. and finely engraved decorative borders. Captain Cook’s ship, the Endeavour, is shown in the hand-painted vignette (lower-centre).
34. 1755 Hand-Coloured Map by Conrad Malte-Brun
$380
A hand-coloured map made in 1755 by Conrad Malte-Brun (1755-1826) after his death. He was a Danish/French Geographer. The map details voyages in the Southern Ocean especially those by Captain Cook, Ross and Parry in the north polar regions. This was considered the most accurate and up to date map of the world at the time.
36. Captain Cook's Chart of Southern Tip of South America, 1775
$480
This is Captain Cook's chart of the Southern tip of South America that he made in 1775 on his second voyage. It was published in 1777 after he returned to England .The numbers are depth soundings made by his ship the Resolution. This chart also includes his chart of the Falkland Islands.
39. Encyclopaedia Brittanica World Map, 1793
$420
Made in 1793 this rare map that appeared first in the first American edition of Encyclopaedia Brittanica shows the routes of Captain Cook’s two ships the Resolution and the Adventure in search of the mythical southern continent and also those of Lord Mulgrave of the admiralty in his unsuccessful attempts to reach the North Pole.
40. World Map
$420
This map made shortly after Captain Cook’s ship returned to the United Kingdom in the 1880s. It shows in detail the world as it was known at the time. The whole of the Antarctic Circle is denoted by “fields of broken ice” and “firm fields of ice”. Also featured are the discoveries in the Northern Hemisphere.
41. Double Hemisphere Map, 1816
$420
A double hemisphere map made c. 1816 by Adrian Hubert Brue (1786-1832) showing the tracts of explorers from Colombus to Cook and others. Although several of the Sub-Antarctic Islands are shown no landmarks appear on the Antarctic continent which is referred to as “ocean glacial antarctique”.
DUMONT D’URVILLE (1790-1842)
The illustrations of d’Urville’s southern expedition 1837-1840 in his two ships the Astrolabe and Zéleé were designed to produce the finest illustrations ever of Antarctica and the South Pacific Islands and establish France as a key player in southern discovery. A selection of these is shown including his map of New Zealand.
The imprint below each engraving which is titled “Gide Editeur Paris” was intended to establish the authenticity of each illustration.
D’Urville’s legacy lives on with Durville island bearing his name together with other New Zealand items such as Durvilla antarctica, the giant bull kelp.
Click the images to enlarge.
50. d'Urville's two ships, the Astrolabe and the Zéleé
$1,280 - SOLD
This is a rare and beautiful illustration from d’Urville’s southern exploration showing his two ships, the Astrolabe and the Zéleé, on January the 19th 1840. At this time his two ships found themselves surrounded by icebergs and land was sighted. D’Urville named the coastline Terra Adelie after his wife. The coastline and penguins still bear her name while the French base in Antarctica bears his name.
Hand-painted lithograph from his official account of the voyage 1842-1846.
51. Dumont d’Urville’s Chart of New Zealand
$2,450
Dumont d’Urville’s chart of New Zealand, made in 1835 by the well-known French cartographer Ambroise Tardieu. Although the coastline of New Zealand was reasonably well-known by European explorers at the time (note a number of errors) little was known of the interior. D’Urville visited New Zealand on three occasions and charted the main islands of New Zealand. He also spent some time moored in Akaroa harbour.
Dumont d’Urville was the famous French explorer who mounted an expedition to the South Pacific on his ship, the Astrolabe, and after whom, D’Urville Island in Cook Strait bears his name – see map. Note the two main islands of New Zealand bear Māori names.
53. 1880 French Map of Océanie
$390
A hand painted French map made in 1880/81 that features Océanie or the South-west Pacific. The vignette entitled “Polynesians” is in fact a composite view of New Zealand. It features a Māori couple from Mercury Bay after Louis August de Sainson; war canoes after Sydney Parkinson (artist on Cook’s first voyage) and in the distance the arched rock of Mercury Bay as drawn by both Captain Cook and Sydney Parkinson in 1709.
To the South are featured Banquise (pack ice).
54. Stielers' Hand Atlas, 1855
$1,280
A pair of hand-coloured maps of the aspects of the world made in 1855/56 by Justus Perthes for Stielers Hand Atlas showing landmarks on the Antarctic continent that were known at this time. Printed only on the highest quality paper Stielers’ maps were made to last. (Sold as a pair).
60. Hand-Coloured Map by John Tallis, 1851
$660
At the time of this hand-coloured map, produced in 1851, several Antarctic landfalls had already been charted. The surrounding hand-coloured vignettes include a group of 3 New Zealand inhabitants and a fanciful penguin amongst icebergs (lower left). John Tallis (1817-1876) who produced this map is regarded as one of the world’s greatest decorative map makers. The detailed vignettes that surround this map were made by the most talented artists of the day and illustrate why his work is so sought after.
62. Cook's Resolution in Antarctica, 1777
$340 - SOLD
This is an early copper plate engraving made in 1777. This is the first recorded illustration of Antarctica. It shows Captain Cook’s ship the Resolution on his second voyage with his crew in the ship’s boats gathering ice for water and shooting sea birds for food. The Resolution was the first recorded ship to cross the Antarctic circle (17th January 1773) and Arctic circle (12thAugust 1778). As this is from the Dutch translation of Cook`s voyages, the caption is in this language.
76. Tallis & Co World Map, 1851
$475
John Tallis and Co. map of the world made in 1851. Drawn and engraved by J. Rapkin. His maps are prized for his decorative, hand-painted vignettes of indigenous scenes, peoples etc. and finely engraved decorative borders. The sub–Antarctic Islands are shown together with parts of the Antarctic continent.
77. Hand-Coloured Map, Sir Ernest Shakleton's Journey 1907-9
$260 - SOLD
This is an original hand-coloured map of the Explorations and surveys of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s 1907-1909 journey to Antarctica as it appeared in his book “The Heart of the Antarctic being the story of the British Antarctic Expedition 1907-1909”.
79. Albatross and Chick Hand-Painted Lithograph by John Gould
$1,450 - SOLD
The well-known hand-painted lithograph showing a wandering albatross and chick, made 1840-1848. This was produced by the famous bird artist John Gould (1804-1881), whose work is considered the ultimate in ornithological illustration. Included on the reverse of this work is the artist’s notes on the species. Although Henry Richter is credited with many of Gould’s illustrations, the artistic skills of Gould’s wife, Elizabeth are now recognised as playing an important role in his work.
WHALING AND SEALING
Early explorers in the Pacific and elsewhere alerted the world to the abundance of whales and seals in the southern oceans and a vast industry was created.
Click the images to enlarge.
82. Hand-painted Steel Engraving of Whales and Seals
$345
Early explorers in the Pacific and elsewhere alerted the world to the abundance of whales and seals in the oceans and a vast industry was created. To commercial whalers and sealers the sea was a rich bounty to be harvested. Hand painted steel engraving from the early 1800s.
