Pauline Adamek
The US debut of Sir Joshua Reynolds’ Portrait of Mai is now on view at the Getty Center for the exhibition, Joshua Reynolds’ Portrait of Mai and 18th-Century Portraiture.
Events that highlight the artwork include all-ages workshops featuring traditional Tahitian art-making of tātau and tapa, art forms that have had a resurgence in the past decade and were nearly lost largely due to colonialism. Additionally, an art talk about Reynolds’ making of the full-length portrait, Mai’s time in England, and his return voyage to Tahiti on Captain James Cook’s final voyage will take place at the Center.
Above photo: “Portrait of Mai (‘Omai’),” about 1776; Sir Joshua Reynolds (English, 1723-1792); Oil on canvas; 94 5/16 × 58 in. (239.6 × 147.3 cm); Purchased jointly by the J. Paul Getty Trust and the Board of Trustees of the National Gallery, London, 2023. Support provided to NPG by the National Heritage Memorial Fund, Art Fund and other generous supporters.
Artist-at-Work: Tapa Making and Stories in Ink: Tātau Bookmark Workshop
Friday–Sunday, Sep 18–20, 2026
Getty Center
Drop-in at 11am, 1pm, and 2:30pm
Discover the Polynesian art of tapa making with artist-researchers from Tahiti. See how tree bark is transformed into cloth and decorated with patterns using natural dyes and traditional tools. Learn about the cultural meanings and stories behind this vibrant, living practice. Then, connect with the traditional art of tātau, Polynesian tattoo. Led by members of ʻARIOI, an Indigenous cultural center in Tahiti, this drop-in workshop explores the powerful history, symbols, and patterns of tātau, and the stories they tell. Design your own bookmark inspired by this living practice. These events complement the exhibition Joshua Reynolds’ Portrait of Mai and 18th-Century Portraiture.
The Amazing Portrait and Story of Mai
Sunday, Sep 20, 2026 at 4pm
Getty Center & Online
Coinciding with the US debut of Sir Joshua Reynolds’ Portrait of Mai, this conversation explores Reynolds’ painting and its extraordinary subject, Mai, the first Polynesian to visit England. Join author and historian Hampton Sides and Getty’s associate director of collections Richard Rand to hear about Reynolds’ making of the full-length portrait, Mai’s time in England from 1774-76, and his return voyage to Tahiti on Captain James Cook’s final voyage. For in-person attendees, a book signing with Hampton Sides follows this talk.
About the Getty:
The J. Paul Getty Museum collects Greek and Roman antiquities, European paintings, drawings, manuscripts, sculpture and decorative arts to 1900, as well as photographs from around the world to the present day. The Museum’s mission is to display and interpret its collections, and present important loan exhibitions and publications for the enjoyment and education of visitors locally and internationally. This is supported by an active program of research, conservation, and public programs that seek to deepen our knowledge of and connection to works of art.
Visiting the Getty Center
The Getty Center is open Tuesday through Sunday, 10am to 5:30pm. The Getty Center is open until 8pm on Saturdays, year-round. It is closed Mondays, Thanksgiving, December 25 (Christmas Day), and January 1. Admission to the Getty Center is always free, but a reservation is required for admission. Make reservations online or at (310) 440-7300. Parking is $25, $15 after 3pm, and $10 after 6pm. The Getty Center is at 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles, California.
