John Webber was twenty-four years old when he was offered a place as expedition artist with Captain James Cook on his third voyage of exploration to the Pacific. It must have seemed an amazing opportunity to an artist in the early stages of his career. And indeed that voyage became a launching pad for the direction of Webber's work for the rest of his life.

Webber was born in London in 1751, the second child of Mary and Abraham Webber. His father's name was originally Wāber - he was a sculptor from Bern, in Switzerland, and anglicised his name to Webber when he moved to England to live.

At sixteen he was apprenticed to a leading, and popular, landscape artist in Switzerland, Johann Aberli. He spent three years in Aberli's studio, and then had four years in Paris, where he studied drawing and oil painting at the Académie Royale. Eventually he returned to London to work and to continue his studies at the Royal Academy there.

In 1776, Webber's work at an exhibition caught the eye of Daniel Solander, a botanist on Cook's first voyage. Solander knew that the Admiralty was still looking for a suitable expedition artist for Cook's forthcoming voyage. He met Webber to sound out his interest in the task, and then recommended him to the Admiralty for the job.

One of his first tasks on the expedition's return to England in 1780 was to complete the portrait of James Cook he had begun in 1776, which he then presented to Cook's widow. The Admiralty employed him for several years making oil paintings based on his drawings. These were the illustrations for the official account of the voyage. He then supervised the engravings made of the pictures to enable them to be printed and published.

For the rest of his life he made regular tours drawing landscapes in Britain and Europe. He was made a full member of the Royal Academy in 1791 - a distinction in those days for someone who was regarded primarily as a landscape artist. He died from kidney disease in 1793, leaving 'a considerable fortune'.

In 1789, Webber & William Day (1764-1807) travelled together and made a tour of Derbyshire. Their exact route is not known but surviving drawings indicate that they visited all the main spots, including Matlock, Cromford, Dovedale and Castleton. The tour is described, and a number of drawings from it illustrated, in the 1996 Berne and Manchester Webber exhibition catalogue (see W. Hauptman, Captain Cook’s Painter: John Webber 1751-1793 Pacific Voyager and Landscape Artist, 1996, pp. 193-214).

WATERCOLOUR, WASHES & GRAPHITE ON CREAM LAID, LIGHTLY TEXTURED, PERIOD PAPER. SIGNED IN INK WITH INITIALS, TITLED & DATED VERSO. LATER/MODERN MOUNT & GILT FRAME. INSCRIPTIONS VERSO (SEE IMAGES).

PROVENANCE: "BRITISH AND CONTINENTAL WATERCOLOURS" CHRISTIE'S, LONDON, SOUTH KENSINGTON, 29TH NOVEMBER 2006. SALE NO: 4059. LOT NO: 1110. 

THIS PAINTING LOOKS TO BE FROM THE SAME DAY/WEBBER TRIP IN 1789 & A VERY SIMILAR PAINTING BY WEBBER, 'VIEW FROM RENARD'S HOLE, DOVEDALE, DERBYSHIRE', ALSO DATED 1789, IS HELD IN THE COLLECTION OF 'THE YALE CENTER OF BRITISH ART' & VIEWABLE ON THE WEBSITE.

Painting in strong, unfaded condition. Two spots of discolouration, one upper right & one to centre. Modern gilt frame in good condition.