Joshua Reynolds’ monumental portrait of Mai is on display at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, where it opened on 15 September 2026 and will remain until March 2027. Jointly purchased by the Getty and the National Portrait Gallery in 2023 for US$61 million, the nearly eight-foot canvas was painted in 1776. Its presentation of a Pacific Islander with the grandeur conventionally reserved for European elites reflects the complex expectations surrounding its subject.
Originally from Raiatea, Mai joined Captain James Cook’s second expedition and arrived in England in 1774, becoming the first Pacific Islander to visit Britain. Invaders from neighbouring Bora Bora had conquered his homeland and killed his father, prompting him to flee. His own ambition was to acquire British weapons and recover his homeland. In Britain, however, wealthy naturalist Joseph Banks promoted him as a nobleman, despite knowing that he was a commoner. Banks introduced him to prominent figures and presented him to King George III and Queen Charlotte.
Reynolds drew on ancient Roman senators and military commanders to construct Mai’s imposing image, combining clothing reminiscent of Tahitian cloth with Roman styling. This treatment expressed the artist’s belief in humanity’s universal nobility, rather than simply reproducing Mai’s social standing. British responses to the visitor ranged from fascination to criticism. Although Mai obtained firearms, Cook refused to return him to Raiatea because he feared violence, leaving him on Huahine in 1777 instead. The contrast between Mai’s personal objectives and his elevated public image runs through the history behind the portrait.
