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A View of Cape Stephens in Cook's Straits (New Zealand) with Waterspout, 1776.

William Hodges

The most significant paintings of the MOD Art Collection are those commissioned by the Admiralty from the artists accompanying the voyages of exploration of Cook and Flinders. The best of these are on loan to the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich.

Hodges's paintings of the Pacific celebrate British exploration. He was appointed by the Admiralty to record the places discovered on Cook's second voyage, undertaken in the 'Resolution' and 'Adventure', 1772-75. Cook's main purpose on this expedition was to locate, if possible, the much talked-of but unknown Southern Continent and further expand knowledge of the central Pacific islands.

Hodges' records of coastal profiles were in part important for navigational reasons, this was primarily in the form of drawings, many later converted to engravings in the official account of the voyage. He also completed oil paintings on the voyage but most, especially these larger ones, were painted in London on his return.

The 'Resolution' shown in a wild storm with three waterspouts, off Cape Stephens, the northernmost point of D'Urville Island, at the top of the South Island. The incident took place in May 1773, during Captain Cook's 2nd voyage to New Zealand.

The blackened sky is pierced by flashes of lightning which have struck the Maori 'pa', or fortified settlement, precariously balanced on the promontory to the right. Four waterspouts appear to be depicted, the principal one in the left foreground spiralling towards the sky and the others near the 'Resolution'.