Australien. Ansicht einer Distillerie zu Agagna/ Costüm und Stellung der Tänzer u.Tänzerin

Title

Australien. Ansicht einer Distillerie zu Agagna/ Costüm und Stellung der Tänzer u.Tänzerin

Description

Representation of natives of Agagna, in Guam.

ca. 1790

Artist

Hogg (1778-1824)

Alexander Hogg (1778-1824) was a publisher of books, maps and prints. He was active in London and worked under the sign of the Kings Arms in Paternoster Row. He became known for his publications of James Cook's voyages of discovery.

Historical Description

Guam is the largest and southernmost island of the Mariana Islands archipelago in the Western Pacific Ocean. It is a foreign territory of the United States. The capital is Hagatna, formerly Agana. In 1521, Ferdinand Magellan was the first European to discover the archipelago, formerly also known as Ladrones (Ladrons), and his sailors named it Islas de Ladrones (Island of Thieves: "Thieves' Islands") because of thefts by islanders who had come on board. The Marianas became the hub of the Spanish Asian fleet with the Manila Galleon. On Guam, the necessary infrastructure was developed to supply the galleons. Later, in honor of Maria Anna of Austria, Archduchess of Austria, the Spanish renamed the archipelago "Islas Marianas", a name that has survived to this day.