The original antique engraving presents two individual portraits side by side.
On the left is the "Portrait of POULAO, KING of the Friendly Islands," which refers to the historical figure often known as King Poulaho of Tonga, also known as Finau Ulukalala I. The Friendly Islands was the name given by Captain Cook to Tonga. Poulaho is depicted with a large, fan-shaped headdress, which is likely indicative of his high status. His facial expression is solemn and direct, suggesting a sense of dignity and authority.
On the right is the "Portrait of A WOMAN of MIDDLEBURGH, or EOOA, an Island near TONGATABOO." Middleburgh refers to the island now known as 'Eua, which is near Tongatapu, the main island of Tonga. The woman has a calm expression and wears a necklace, and her hair is styled in curls, which might reflect local beauty standards or status.
Bartele Gallery. Original antique maps, sea charts, engravings and works on paper. This is a plain text rendering of a page that is otherwise built in the browser. The catalogue index is at https://www.bartele.net/catalogue and machine readable notes are at https://www.bartele.net/llms.txt.