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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

Thrown together

Shipmates for years, James Cook and Joseph Banks each kept a journal but neither man shed light on their relationship.

More information on Thrown together

Selected images

6 images
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Portrait of Captain James Cook RN
Portrait of Captain James Cook RN, 1782 John Webber
Sir Joseph Banks, Bt 1771-1773
Sir Joseph Banks, Bt 1771-1773
Sir Joseph Banks
Sir Joseph Banks, 1810 William Evans, Anthony Cardon after Sir Thomas Lawrence
Captain James Cook, 1775-1776
Captain James Cook, 1775-1776
Accommodation on HM Bark Endeavour
Accommodation on HM Bark Endeavour
The Royal Society medal in commemoration of Captain James Cook
The Royal Society medal in commemoration of Captain James Cook, 1784 Lewis Pingo
6 images
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Related information

Sydney Cove medallion, 1789 by Josiah Wedgwood
Sydney Cove medallion, 1789 by Josiah Wedgwood
Sydney Cove medallion, 1789 by Josiah Wedgwood
Sydney Cove medallion, 1789 by Josiah Wedgwood

The medallion

About Face article

1 January 2015

In recent years I have become fascinated by the so-called Sydney Cove Medallion (1789), a work of art that bridges the 10,000-mile gap between the newly established penal settlement at Port Jackson and the beating heart of Enlightenment England.

'The portraits of Captain Cook'

An interview with Betty Churcher

Portrait story

Betty Churcher describes the creation of the portrait of Captain James Cook in the National Portrait Gallery.
The great South Sea caterpillar transformed into a Bath Butterfly (Sir Joseph Banks)
The great South Sea caterpillar transformed into a Bath Butterfly (Sir Joseph Banks)
The great South Sea caterpillar transformed into a Bath Butterfly (Sir Joseph Banks)
The great South Sea caterpillar transformed into a Bath Butterfly (Sir Joseph Banks)

The Bath Butterfly

About Face article

1 September 2014

The caricaturist and engraver James Gillray's biting satires about Sir Joseph Banks. 
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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

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