Full-length portrait of Mai (known as Omai in Britain,) a young indigenous man from Raiatea, who became the second Pacific Islander to visit Europe. Mai is depicted with long, black hair, barefooted, attired in a white robe, and has tattoos on his hands. He holds a feather taumi (gorget) in his right hand and a carved wooden headrest, which may have doubled as a stool, under his left arm. Mai acted as an interpreter to James Cook and joined the crew of the H.M.S. Adventure, traveling to London in 1774. During his two-year stay in England, he became admired by London high society and painted and sketched by a number of artists including Sir Joshua Reynolds, William Hodges, William Parry, and Nathaniel Dance. Mai returned to Tahiti in 1776., Title and date from item.
Creator
Bartolozzi, Francesco, 1727-1815, engraver
Date
October 25, 1774
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department **portrait prints - O [(3)5750.F.180a]
