One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Date
1807
Sheet size
22 × 13.3 cm (8.7 × 5.2 in)
Condition
Good
Reference
BG-13696-25
Condition
Good condition for its age with light age toning to the paper and some minor edge wear from the original binding. The sheet retains wide margins. Colors remain strong and fresh. Any small irregularities are typical for early nineteenth-century prints.
About this sheet
Otaheite Tahiti Couple in Native Dress – Jacques Kuyper Ethnographic Print 1807 This attractive early nineteenth-century ethnographic print titled “Otaheitanen” depicts two inhabitants of Otaheite—an historical spelling used in Europe for the island of Tahiti in French Polynesia. The scene forms part of the Dutch illustrated work De Mensch, zoo als hij voorkomt op den bekenden aardbol (“Man as he appears on the known globe”), published between 1802 and 1807. This ambitious publication aimed to present peoples from across the world through costume studies and cultural depictions, reflecting the European fascination with global exploration and ethnography during the late Enlightenment.
The composition was drawn by the Dutch artist Jacques Kuyper, a well-known illustrator of scientific and geographic publications in the Netherlands at the turn of the nineteenth century. The plate was engraved by Ludwig Gottlieb Portman, whose precise line work translates Kuyper’s design into a finely detailed print suitable for publication.
The image presents a seated Tahitian woman wearing a flowing skirt and decorative floral ornaments across her bodice and hat. Her attire reflects the European interpretation of Polynesian dress during the era following the voyages of exploration in the Pacific, particularly those of Captain James Cook in the late eighteenth century. Beside her stands a Tahitian man draped in a garment and leaning against a traditional drum, an element that alludes to the important role of music and ritual in Polynesian culture.
Behind the figures appears a simplified island landscape with tropical vegetation and distant mountains, providing visual context while maintaining the focus on the figures themselves. The print reflects the period’s mixture of scientific curiosity and romanticized vision of distant cultures. Such works were widely collected in Europe and helped shape contemporary understanding of the peoples encountered during global voyages.
Original hand coloring enhances the print, carefully applied at the time of publication. The colors remain vibrant and emphasize the decorative costumes and tropical atmosphere of the scene.
Today, prints from this series are valued both for their artistic qualities and for their role in documenting early European interpretations of Pacific cultures. They appeal to collectors of exploration history, ethnographic imagery, and decorative prints depicting the peoples of Oceania.
Condition report: Good condition for its age with light age toning to the paper and some minor edge wear from the original binding. The sheet retains wide margins. Colors remain strong and fresh. Any small irregularities are typical for early nineteenth-century prints.
Framing tips: This print frames beautifully with a warm ivory or cream museum mat and a dark walnut or ebonized frame. A double mat with a subtle gold inner line can enhance the warm hand coloring and give the piece an elegant presentation suited to classic or tropical-inspired interiors.
Technique: Hand-colored engraving Maker: Jacques Kuyper (designer), Ludwig Gottlieb Portman (engraver), Netherlands, 1802–1807
