‘Les Sauvages de la mer Pacifique’ (1804–1805)

‘Les Sauvages de la mer Pacifique’ (1804–1805)

This is a 1.8-metre section of a long piece of wallpaper. It featured views of Pacific history based on the accounts of European explorers from the 18th century. This section illustrates a wrestling match in Tongatapu, Tonga. The Tongan king is supposedly pictured in this scene under a banana tree (on the left) with one of his favourite wives. The Hellenic costumes and wrestling poses reflect the European preoccupation with ancient Greece, rather than accurately depicting Pacific peoples.