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Jacques Arago was the artist and draughtsman for one of the most important voyages of exploration of the early 19th century, the circumnavigation of the l'Uranie under command of Captain Louis Freycinet in the years 1817 - 1820. The voyage was organized by the French government, under the restored Royalty, to show the flag around the world and to make scientific observations on geography, magnetism and meteorology.

The official journal of the voyage was published by the captain Freycinet himself, and special accounts on zoology and botany studied during the voyage were published by the doctors Quoy and Gamard, and the pharmacist of the voyage, Gaudichaud. Arago's informal account took the form of letters addressed to a friend in a lively and witty style. Special attention is given to the peoples the artist met with, the plates also depicting the peoples and the life on the Sandwich Islands, with about 150 pages devoted to Hawaii, Maui and Oahu, the Mariana islands, Timor, New Guinee, Australia, New Zealand, etc.

The l'Uranie sailed from Toulon to Gibraltar, Tenerife and Rio de Janeira. Here the captain's wife Rose secretly boarded the ship, and one of the islands discovered was named after her "Rose Island". The voyage continued by way of Cape of Good Hope to the Mascarene Islands, Western Australia, Timor, New Guinee, the Mariana islands, Caroline islands, Sandwich islands, New South Wales, New Zealnd, Tierra del Fuego, and the Falklands where the l'Uranie shipwrecked. The captain was able to buy the American ship Mercury, which he renamed "La Physicienne", and on which he sailed again to Rio de Janeiro and back to Le Havre. First published in 1822, Arago's account met with much success. This plate is newly drawn by N. Maurin after the orginal sketchbook by Jacques Arago, who had become blind.