Mai (known in England as Omai)[1] left the Society Islands (specifically, Raiatea) with Commander Tobias Furneaux on his ship HMS Adventure.

The Adventure had left England in 1772, accompanying Captain James Cook on his second voyage of discovery in the Pacific, and visited Tahiti and Huahine in 1773.

Reynolds portrayed Mai as an exotic figure—an idealized depiction echoing Jean-Jacques Rousseau's concept of a noble savage.

Tattoos were seen in the South Pacific, particularly in the Māori groups, and were customary for coming of age rites for the worship of a local god called ʻOro.

The other paintings exhibited by Reynolds in 1776 included a full-length portrait of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire in a similarly idyllic setting.

The Antiques Trade Gazette suggested that Morrison had been subject to "auction fever", i.e. getting carried away and bidding more than his private client had authorized him to.

[5] In 2014, the painting was the subject of a ruling by the Court of Appeal in a case bought by the custodians of Castle Howard against HM Revenue and Customs as its taxable status.

The Court held that as the portrait had been displayed in a part of Castle Howard that was open to the public, it fell within the definition of "plant".

In an effort to secure more funding, the Gallery began discussions with the Getty Museum in Los Angeles for the possibility of a joint acquisition, with the painting being shared between the institutions.

[5] An open letter from leading academics in the field was published in the Financial Times in June 2022 in support of the retention of the portrait in the UK.

[22] This was followed by a similarly supportive column in The Guardian by the author and historian, and NPG trustee, Simon Sebag Montefiore in March 2023.

The director of the NPG had approached the UK Government for a direct Treasury grant without success, however, the new chair of the NHMF signalled their support for continued efforts to maintain public access to the painting, even if it required a novel resolution.

[24] On 31 March 2023, the NPG and the Getty announced a plan "to jointly acquire and share ownership” of the portrait, in “a new model of international collaboration”.