Americans can now see a famous portrait of the Pacific Islander who captivated 18th-century England for the first time

Joshua Reynolds’ 1776 ‘Portrait of Omai’ portrays a commoner from Tahiti as a nobleman, reflecting European fantasies and assumptions about Pacific cultures.

By: Saar Shahar, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: October 12, 2026

Words: 1,610

Last Updated: 5 days, 21 hours ago

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By Saar Shahar, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

In 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 founding Royal …

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