On the one hand, the 18th century was the time of colonialism, during which expeditions to the South Seas took place that are still shrouded in legend today. Since, of course, there was no photography at that time, painters played a central role in these adventurous expeditions, alongside sailors. In this historical context the English painter and draughtsman with Swiss roots John Webber, born Johann Wäber, became famous and appreciated.
Webber first worked as an apprentice at Johann Ludwig Aberli, a landscape painter from Bern. He then studied at the Académie Royale in Paris with Johann Georg Wille. Webber was able to finance his studies with the help of a scholarship awarded to him by the "Gesellschaft zu Kaufleuten". He then returned to London and, driven by a thirst for knowledge, studied at the Royal Academy of Arts.
The Swedish botanist Daniel Carl Solander recognized Webber's talent in exhibited nature and landscape paintings and engaged him as an expedition painter for the famous third expedition in the South Seas of Captain James Cook. This made John Webber the very first Swiss to visit Australia, more precisely Bruny Island off Tasmania. However, John Webber did not see himself as a simple expedition painter. He saw himself much more as a travel journalist for an audience that was increasingly interested in travel reports of this kind. The expedition, which was initially scheduled to last only three years, was delayed by the death of James Cook and due to difficulties in the North Pacific during the return journey.
In 1793 John Webber died of kidney failure. In the last years of his life, Webber undertook extensive study trips to the north of England, France and Bern in Switzerland, where he spent his childhood.
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.jpg "A Canoe of the Sandwich Islands, with the Rowers Masked, 1784 by John Webber")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1030688).jpg "Tereoboo, King of Owyhee, Bringing Presents to Capt. Cook by John Webber")
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.jpg "Queen Charlotte")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1641678).jpg "View in the Island of Cracatoa, from")
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.jpg "Poulaho, King of the Friendly Islands, drinking Kava, from a series of watercolours illustrating Captain Cook")
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.jpg "Drawing of Captain Cook")
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.jpg "A View from Aimeo Harbour Looking Out Towards the Sea; the Masts of the")
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.jpg "5: A Night Dance by Men, in Hapaee, from a series of watercolours illustrating Captain Cook")
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.jpg "A Toopapapoo of a Chief, with a Priest Making His Offering to the Morai, in Huoheine by John Webber")
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.jpg "A View in Oheitepeha Bay in the Island of Otaheite, from")
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.jpg "Waheiadooa, Chief of Oheitepeha, lying in state, recorded by Captain Cook during his visit to Tahiti on 19th August 1777. A funerary stage supports the shrouded corpse and an attendant. They are sheltered by a grass-roofed awning, and surrounded by a low p by John Webber")
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.jpg "View of Santa Cruz, Tenerife by John Webber")
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.jpg "View of the North Point of Kealakekua Bay, on the Island of Hawaii, Taken from the")
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.jpg "View of Christmas Harbour, Kerguelen Island by John Webber")
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.jpg "View in Oheitepeha Bay, Otaheite by John Webber")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1030679).jpg "A Night Dance by Men, in Hapaee by John Webber")
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_made_du_-_(MeisterDrucke-1100864).jpg "Polynesian man from Nootka Sound, illustration by John Webber made during third voyage of James Cook by John Webber")
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.jpg "Hob Thursts Houses, Monsoldale, Derbyshire by John Webber")
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.jpg "The Narta, or Sledge for Burdens in Kamtschatka, from")
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_c1784_(oil_on_canvas)_-_(MeisterDrucke-1502417).jpg "Poedua, the Daughter of Orio by John Webber")
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.jpg "The Plantain Tree in the Island of Cracatoa, from")
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.jpg "The Inside of a Hippah, in New Zealand by John Webber")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1030680).jpg "A Night Dance by Women in Hapaee by John Webber")
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.jpg "A View in Oheitepeha Bay, in the Island of Otaheite. Landscape with two figures in a canoe on a stretch of water surrounded by tall mountains, with thick trees on the lower slopes to either side, thatched buildings on the shore to right and two figures on by John Webber")
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.jpg "Balagans or Summer Habitations, with the Method of Drying Fish at St. Peter and Paul, Kamtschatka (from")
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.jpg "A Man of the Sandwich Islands in a Mask, illustration from")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1030681).jpg "Poulaho, King of the Friendly Islands, Drinking Kava by John Webber")
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.jpg "View of a")
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.jpg "View from Renard")
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.jpg "A Woman of Prince William")
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.jpg "Burial Ground in the South Seas by John Webber")
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.jpg "Waheiadooa, Chief of Oheitepeha, Lying in State, from")
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.jpg "Tereoboo, King of Owyhee, bringing presents to Captain Cook, from a series of watercolours illustrating Captain Cook")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-994501).jpg "A Man of the Sandwich Islands in a Mask by John Webber")
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.jpg "The Inside of a Hippah in New Zealand, illustration from")
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.jpg "Canoes Going to Meet Captain James Cook by John Webber")
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.jpg "HMS")
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.jpg "View of Christmas Harbour in Kerguelen")
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.jpg "A man of Van Diemen")
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.jpg "The Resolution Beating Through the Ice with the Discovery in the Most Imminent Danger in the Distance, from")
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.jpg "Captain Cook at Hapaee by John Webber")
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.jpg "Waheiadooa, Chief of Oheitepha, Lying in State by John Webber")
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.jpg "Kalaniopuu, King of Hawaii, Bringing Presents to Captain Cook by John Webber")
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.jpg "A Tasmanian woman carrying a child on her back, with a skin slung from her left shoulder about her waist. January 1777 by John Webber")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-903373).jpg "A Man of Prince William")
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.jpg "Offerings to Captain James Cook, engraving by John Webber, Polynesia 18th Century by John Webber")
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.jpg "Burial Ground in the South Seas by John Webber")
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.jpg "The Narta or Sledge for Burdens in Kamtschatka by John Webber")
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.jpg "A Man of the Sandwich Islands with his Helmet by John Webber")
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.jpg "Portrait of Poedooa, Daughter of Orea, King of Ulaitea, Society Islands by John Webber")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1015796).jpg "A view at Anamooka by John Webber")
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.jpg "Captain Cook")
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.jpg "Dance on Tahiti by John Webber")
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.jpg "A Toopapapoo of a Chief, with a Priest Making His Offering to the Morai, in Huoheine by John Webber")
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.jpg "Burial Ground in the South Seas by John Webber")
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.jpg "Hawaiian by John Webber")
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.jpg "Inside of a Funeral Hut, Tahiti by John Webber")
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.jpg "A View of the Harbour of Huahine with Peaked Mountains, Including Mount Turi, in the Background. In the Bay is the")
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.jpg "A Young Woman of the Sandwich Islands, illustration from")
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.jpg "View of the Harbour of Taloo in the Island of Eimeo, from")
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.jpg "View in Queen Charlotte")
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.jpg "Drawing of a Wattle Bird by John Webber")
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.jpg "View of the Hippah, or Fortified Village, at the South-West Point of Motuara in Queen Charlotte Sound by John Webber")
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_Two_men_boxing_with_spectators_seated_in_a_semicircle_and_palm_t_-_(MeisterDrucke-1471286).jpg "Two Men Boxing by John Webber")
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.jpg "Interior of Nootka Native American House by John Webber")
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.jpg "A view of Christmas Harbour in Kerguelen")
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![A Dance or Heiva at Otaheite [Tahiti] by John Webber](/kunstwerke/300px/John_Webber_-_Whole_drawing_A_dance_or_heiva_at_Otaheite_TahitiTwo_men_and_two_women_dancing_w_-_(MeisterDrucke-1470926).jpg "A Dance or Heiva at Otaheite [Tahiti] by John Webber")
![A Dance or Heiva at Otaheite [Tahiti] by John Webber](/kunstwerke/400w/John_Webber_-_Whole_drawing_A_dance_or_heiva_at_Otaheite_TahitiTwo_men_and_two_women_dancing_w_-_(MeisterDrucke-1470926).jpg)
.jpg "A Sailing Canoe of Otaheite by John Webber")
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.jpg "Sea Horses, figures by J. Heath, engraved by E. Scott, plate 52 from")
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.jpg "The Woman of Tahiti in")
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.jpg "A Canoe of Ulietea by John Webber")
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.jpg "Standing Portrait of a Man of Mangaia, Cook Islands, Holding a Paddle in His Right Hand by John Webber")
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.jpg "Portrait of Captain James Cook by John Webber")
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.jpg "Ship Cove, Queen Charlotte Sound by John Webber")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-903372).jpg "The Inside of a House in Nootka Sound by John Webber")
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.jpg "A View in the Island of Pulo Condore, from")
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.jpg "Hawaiian Man Wearing a Gourd Mask by John Webber")
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.jpg "Pont-y-Pair on the River Llugwy near Betws-y-Coed, Denbigh by John Webber")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-36047).jpg "Habit of a Young Woman of Otaheite Dancing, c.1785 by John Webber")
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.jpg "A View in Oheitepha Bay on the Island of Otaheite, from")
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.jpg "The Harbour of Pulo Condere by John Webber")
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.jpg "The Resolution Beating through the Ice, with the Discovery in the Most Eminent Danger in the Distance by John Webber")
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.jpg "View of Santa Cruz, Tenerife by John Webber")
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.jpg "View in the Island of Pulo Condore by John Webber")
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.jpg "Hawaiian Dancer by John Webber")
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.jpg "Native of Van Diemen")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1030683).jpg "Another Scene, a Dance in Otaheite, Exterior by John Webber")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-940162).jpg "A Man of Oonalashka by John Webber")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-940162).jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1015797).jpg "A Fiatooka, or Morai in Tongataboo by John Webber")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-977273).jpg "A View of Snug Corner Cove, in Prince William")
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.jpg "Portrait of Captain James Cook by John Webber")
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.jpg "Masked Hawaiians in a double canoe by John Webber")
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.jpg "Ship Cove, Queen Charlotte Sound by John Webber")
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.jpg "A Tattooed Dancer in Traditional Costume, Hawaii, 1778 by John Webber")
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.jpg "Priests Traveling Across Kealakekua Bay for First Contact Rituals by John Webber")
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.jpg "Portrait of Poedooa, Daughter of Orea, King of Ulaitea, Society Islands by John Webber")
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.jpg "A Sailing Canoe of Otaheite, from")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1030682).jpg "A Dance in Otaheite by John Webber")
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.jpg "Double canoe with oarsmen, Hawaii by John Webber")
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.jpg "View on Sea Shore, Large Tree in Centre by John Webber")
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