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Americans can now see a famous portrait of the Pacific Islander who captivated 18th-century England for the first time
The nearly 8-foot painting shows Mai as a noble figure and is jointly owned by the Getty and the National Portrait Gallery.
- The Getty Center is displaying Joshua Reynolds' 1776 portrait of Mai, the first Pacific Islander to visit Britain, following the institution's joint acquisition with the National Portrait Gallery for US$61 million in 2023.
- Mai, a Pacific Islander from Raiatea, arrived in England in 1774 after joining Captain James Cook's second expedition to the Society Islands. Reynolds modeled the portrait on ancient Roman senators, depicting him in robes reminiscent of Tahitian tapa cloth.
- London Magazine praised Mai's 'genteel' manners and family of great consequence, though Westminster Magazine dismissed the visitor as 'cheap amusement.' Politician Horace Walpole described the portrait as 'very good.'
- Mai sought British firepower to retake his homeland; Cook deposited him on Huahine in 1777 rather than Raiatea, fearing violence. Mai later killed many enemies in a battle against Bora Borans.
- The 1785 stage show 'Omai: or, a Trip Around the World' cemented Mai's cultural legacy in England. After succumbing to a fever shortly after Cook's death, Mai left a lasting imprint on European perceptions of Pacific cultures.
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Americans can now see a famous portrait of the Pacific Islander who captivated 18th-century England for the first time
A detail from Joshua Reynolds’ 'Portrait of Omai,' which was painted in 1776. Wikimedia CommonsIn 1774, a young man in his early 20s named Mai arrived in England. The first Pacific Islander to visit Britain, Mai had joined Captain James Cook’s second expedition during its stop in the Society Islands, which include the islands of Tahiti and Raiatea and today are a part of French Polynesia. Two years after Mai’s landing in England, the painter and…
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Leaning Left2Leaning Right4Center19Last UpdatedBias Distribution76% Center
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76% Center
C 76%
R 16%
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