One of the most famous reproductions of Cleveley's Death of Cook hangs at the Honolulu Academy of Arts. It depicts Captain Cook as a peacemaker.

The original painting by Cleveley was discovered in 2004 and depicts Captain Cook as a violent man. The painting proved some artists skewed history to show Europeans in favorable light.

Death of Cook is the name of several paintings depicting the 1779 death of British explorer and European discoverer of the Hawaiian Islands, Captain James Cook. Most of these paintings seem to go back to an original by John Cleveley, painted in 1784, although other versions, like that of John Webber, stood model for later copies too. Such artworks were reproduced in paint and engraving over the course of modern world history. The much more famous reproductions, like the one at the Honolulu Academy of Arts (allegedly based on the Cleveley version), often depicted Cook as a peacemaker trying to stop the fighting between his sailors and the native Hawaiians that they had challenged in combat. This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Image File history File links This work is copyrighted. ... Image File history File links This work is copyrighted. ... For building painting, see painter and decorator. ... 1779 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... World map showing the location of Europe. ... Map of the Hawaiian Islands, a chain of islands that stretches 2,400 km in a northwesterly direction from the southern tip of the Island of Hawai‘i. ... Captain James Cook may refer to: James Cook - British explorer, navigator, and map maker Captain James Cook (TV miniseries) - 1987 Australian television miniseries This is a disambiguation page, a list of pages that otherwise might share the same title. ... 1784 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Engraving is the practice of incising a design onto a hard, flat surface, by cutting grooves into it. ... Native Hawaiians (in Hawaiian, kānaka ʻōiwi or kānaka maoli) are the Polynesian peoples of the Hawaiian Islands who trace their ancestry back to Marquesan and possibly Tahitian settlers (starting circa AD 400), before the arrival of British explorer Captain James Cook in 1778. ...

In 2004 however, the original Cleveley painting was discovered in a private collection belonging to an English family. It was known that Cleveley based his original painting on eye-witness accounts of the actual event. The original happened to depict Cook also involved in hand-to-hand combat with the native Hawaiians. The discovery of the original painting has not changed the way historians think about Cook's relationship with the native Hawaiians, as Cook's violent nature was reported upon by his contemporaries. 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London (de facto) Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2006 est. ... History studies the past in human terms. ...

The original painting, worth approximately USD $200,000 to $300,000, was put up for auction by Christie's auction house in London, England. Christies Auction Room in London circa 1808. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London (de facto) Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2006 est. ...

See also

• Marshall Sahlins: Discussions, started more than a decade prior to the re-discovery of the original Cleveley painting, regarding the interpretation of the behavior of those involved in the historical event of Cook's death.