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Shipwreck of Mr. De Laborde on the boats of La Pérouse at Port des Français in California (but actually near Juneau Alaska).
Rare copper engraving showing the shipwreck of two small boats that were part of the La Perouse Expedition, during their reconnaissance of Lituya Bay, near Juneau, Alaska.
The image depicts a dramatic event during the 1786 expedition of French explorer Jean-François de Galaup, comte de La Pérouse. This expedition was part of La Pérouse's broader mission to explore and chart the Pacific regions and is one of the most famous French naval expeditions of the 18th century.
La Pérouse led an ambitious global voyage commissioned by Louis XVI in 1785 to explore new territories and gather scientific knowledge, similar to British voyages led by Captain Cook. The scene depicted in this engraving takes place at "Port des Français," a bay that La Pérouse named in 1786, now known as Lituya Bay in modern Alaska. During the expedition's stop at this bay, tragedy struck, leading to the loss of two boats and several men.
The text provides detailed information about the disaster that befell the expedition. La Pérouse had sent several small boats (chaloupes) to sound the bay and chart its depth, placing markers to ensure safe navigation. Unfortunately, the boats were caught by a sudden, strong current, which led them to crash against rocks. In this image, the small boats are shown being overturned and shattered by the violent waves, while the crew struggles to survive. The inscriptions state that MM. de Laborde, a key figure on the expedition, along with others, attempted to rescue their comrades, but they too perished in the same tragic circumstances.
This shipwreck at Lituya Bay was one of the major tragedies of La Pérouse’s voyage. Although La Pérouse continued the expedition after this incident, the expedition itself ended in mystery when the entire fleet was lost after leaving Australia in 1788.
Rarity
The view is very rare on the market.
We locate examples in the California State Library and Yale (Beinecke Library).
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