Robert Lee Eskridge

From Paris studios to remote Pacific islands: the artist who refused to be incurious

Drawn to Polynesian culture long before settling in Hawaii in 1932, Eskridge immersed himself in the landscapes and communities of the islands, blending modernist influences with a profound respect for indigenous life. His luminous paintings, celebrated WPA murals, and richly observed writings captured fishermen, surfers, dancers, and ceremonies with uncommon sensitivity and visual power.

But Eskridge’s life extended far beyond the canvas. From artistic circles in Paris to archaeological expeditions in the remote Gambier Islands, his story is filled with relentless adventure and intellectual pursuit. Friend to fellow artists and a bridge between cultures, Eskridge helped shape the visual identity of modern Hawaii while preserving echoes of a disappearing world.

Robert Lee Eskridge is a vivid, beautifully illustrated portrait of an artist who lived between worlds—traditional and modern, Western and Polynesian, observer and participant—and whose work continues to define the spirit and imagery of the South Pacific.

C.J. Cook is an award-winning author and historian with a long interest in the history of the South Pacific. His first book, Tyree: Artist of the South Pacific (2017), was an incredible success, winning two Gold Awards for Best Cover and Best Biography from the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) in April 2018. His second book, Leeteg: Babes, Bars, Beaches, and Black Velvet Art, won a Gold Medal for Best Biography from the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) in April 2022. In 2023, Cook released a sequel to his first biography, Beauty in the Beast: Flora, Fauna, and Endangered Species of Artist Ralph Burke Tyree. This work expanded on Ralph Burke Tyree's themes and legacy. Continuing his exploration of South Pacific artists' lives and works, in January 2025, Cook will release his fourth book, Edithe Beutler: Beautifying Hawaii with Color (2025). Beutler was the foremost colorist in Hawaii, painting black and white prints before color photography.

Cook has been a lifelong manuscript collector interested in art and the South Pacific. He is a board member of The Manuscript Society, dedicated to preserving manuscripts and historical documents. 

He also collects art from the South Pacific, including Ralph Burke Tyree, Edgar Leeteg, Edithe Beutler, Madge Tennent, Cece Rodriguez, Robert Lee Eskridge, and William Bloom. Some of these paintings appear in his books.

He has and continues to explore the South Pacific, including Guam, Pohnpei, Taiwan, Truk, Palau, Bali, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, its Great Barrier Reef, Tahiti and its surrounding islands, and the Hawaiian Islands. He visits the last two island paradises multiple times a year.