Captain James King, LLD FRS
Engraver
Francesco Bartolozzi
(Italian, 1727 - 1815)
Artist
John Webber R.A.
(1751-1793)
Subject or historical figure
Captain James King
(British, 1750 - 1784)
Date1784
Object number00000849
NamePrint
MediumInk on paper
DimensionsOverall: 1130 x 930 mm
ClassificationsArt
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionEngraved portrait of Captain James King after a painting by John Webber. Hand coloured stipple engraving published June 4th, 1784. Engraved by Francesco Bartolozzi.HistoryJames King was a British naval officer who served under Commodore Hugh Palliser, a friend and patron of James Cook. King was promoted to lieutenant in 1771 and was recommended for Cook's third voyage where he acted as second lieutenant and fellow astronomer with the captain, assiting Cook with the numerous surveys that were completed. Although King would go on to have a successful naval career before his premature death at 34, he became most renowned for this time he spent with James Cook on the third voyage.
When James Cook was killed in Hawaii in 1779 King was made captain of the DISCOVERY after the death of the new expedition leader Captain Charles Clerke. Although King was not with Cook at the time of Cook's death in Hawaii it is King's version of the event that became the offical view. When King returned to England he was responsible for completing the official account of the third voyage, based on the journals and logs, that was to be made ready for publication.
In 1782 King was made a Fellow of the Royal Society for his astronomical observations. He was alive to see the publication of his work on the three volumes of Cook's third voyage before dying in 1815 of tuberculosis in Nice at the age of 34.
SignificanceJames King was the second lieutenant on RESOLUTION on Cook’s Third Voyage. He had been chosen to assist Cook in taking astronomical observations on the journey. King became captain of the DISCOVERY after the death of Charles Clerke and following Cook's death in 1779 in Hawaii, King helped lead the ships on the remainder of their course back to England.
