The Cession of the District of Matavai in the Island of Otaheite to Captain James Wilson for the use of the Missionaries Sent Thither by that Society in the Ship Duff, engraving by Francesco Bartolozzi, Robert Smirke, 1801

The cession of the district of matavai in the island of otaheite to captain james wilson for the use of the missionaries. A version of the painting from the school of oriental and african studies, possibly the original by robert smirke. The original painting by robert smirke was commissioned by the directors of the london missionary society in 1798 to commemorate the grant of land to build a mission in tahiti which occurred in march 16, 1797. In the background is mt. Aora'i. The dwelling immediately behind the group is bligh's 'british house'. The end section of the first missionary house is on the right. The identification of the figures in the painting can be found on pages xiii and 32 of colin newbury's edited book the history of the tahitian mission, 1799-1830, written by john davies, missionary to the south sea islands with supplementary papers of the missionaries. Date: 1801.