Joseph Dufour et Cie

In 1806, in collaboration with the artist Jean-Gabriel Charvet, Dufour et Cie produced a twenty-panel set of scenic wallpaper entitled Sauvages de la Mer du Pacifique ('Savages of the Pacific'), which became the biggest success of the company.

Following the success of Sauvages de la Mer du Pacifique at the Fourth Exhibition of Products of the French Industry in 1806, Joseph Dufour moved to Paris in the Faubourg Saint-Antoine.

He made three expeditions before his death in 1779, and his adventures captured the imaginations of many Europeans at a time when there was considerable interest in the "primitive" and "exotic".

His discoveries lent support to the prevailing notion of the inherent moral superiority of "the noble savage", an idea expressed in the writings of Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–1778).

In 1806 Joseph Dufour et Cie, in collaboration with the designer Jean-Gabriel Charvet, produced a twenty-panel set of scenic wallpaper entitled Sauvages de la Mer du Pacifique ('Savages of the Pacific'), depicting Cook's travels.

Instead, small rectangular handmade sheets were joined at the edges to form long rolls, which were later cut to the desired length (approximately 24 by 98 inches or 61 × 249 cm).

The panels show many historical events loosely based on the reports of James Cook and La Pérouse and drawings made by members of their crews.