Encounters With Paradise: Views of Hawaii and Its People, 1778-1941
This is the catalog of a one-time-only exhibition of the first artistic visions of Hawaii. Primarily the work of European and American artists (no work by non-Europeans is known to exist), it opens with sketches circa January 1778 as Cook's Discovery anchored off the coast of Kauai. "Artists first accompanied voyages to the Pacific to record scientific data. . . . The positive scientific value of having a professionally trained landscape and portrait artist aboard was obvious." Perhaps the most interesting contributions here are of important, little-known works held by foreign institutions. The power and mystery of Hawaii's volcanoes generated the famous "Volcano School" of the artists Furneaux, Tavernier, and Strong; also included are works of emerging Hawaii Modernism, beginning in 1890. Accompanied by first-rate, extensive historical background and analysis, this exquisite volume is highly recommended for all art and history collections.- Kevin M. Roddy, Univ. of Hawaii at Hilo Lib.Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.