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Primary sourcePainting4 January 1773

The Resolution and Adventure, 4 Jan, 1773, taking in ice for water, lat. 61.S.

William Hodges · 4 January 1773

William Hodges's on-the-spot watercolour of Cook's ships Resolution and Adventure collecting ice in Antarctic waters during the second voyage.

This watercolour shows Cook's ship Resolution during his second voyage, as he searched for a southern continent.

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Watercolour of two sailing ships, Resolution and Adventure, near icebergs in a dark, cloudy polar sea. The large ship on the right has furled and billowing sails and sailors on its deck. A smaller ship sits in the distance on the left beside a bright iceberg, and small boats are in the water near the foreground ice.
William Hodges, The Resolution and Adventure, 4 Jan, 1773, taking in ice for water, lat. 61.S., 1773. State Library of New South Wales.

About this source

What it is

This watercolour by William Hodges shows the ships Resolution and Adventure, commanded by James Cook, taking in ice for fresh water in Antarctic waters on 4 January 1773. It is held by the State Library of New South Wales.

Why it matters

Hodges painted this scene on the spot during Cook's second voyage, when Cook was searching for a southern continent. The image captures the extreme conditions the crews faced and the practical challenges of survival, such as finding fresh water, far from any port.

Look closer

  • What does the painting suggest about the dangers of sailing near icebergs?
  • Why might having an artist on board matter for recording a voyage like this?
  • What can't a single painted scene tell us about the whole voyage?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of James Cook on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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