Joshua Reynolds’ portrait of Mai is now on display at the Getty Center in Los Angeles. The exhibition opened on 15 September 2026 and continues until March 2027. The Getty and the National Portrait Gallery bought the painting together in 2023 for US$61 million.
Mai came from Raiatea in the Pacific Ocean and joined Captain James Cook’s second expedition, a journey of exploration. He reached England in 1774, becoming the first Pacific Islander to visit Britain. His arrival attracted attention at a time when British interest in Pacific cultures was growing. However, Europeans’ ideas about him did not always reflect his actual position in island society.
Reynolds painted Mai in 1776 on a canvas nearly eight feet tall. Although Mai did not belong to the highest social ranks, the artist presented him with the dignity usually given to powerful people. His appearance drew on images of ancient Roman leaders. The portrait therefore offered more than a record of a visitor: it also reflected European ideas about distant societies and the people who lived in them.
