Society Islands (Tahiti etc)

Antique Views of the Society Islands (Tahiti etc.)

This category showcases original antique views and prints of the Society Islands, including Tahiti and neighbouring archipelagos, which were among the earliest Pacific islands encountered by European explorers. Historic images often depict coastal scenes, lagoon views and island topography as recorded by navigators and artists during 18th- and 19th-century voyages.

Many views derive from sketches made on site and later translated into engravings or lithographs for publication in atlases, voyage accounts and geographic works. These prints reflect both the scenic beauty of the islands and the curiosity of Western audiences as knowledge of the central Pacific expanded.

Antique views of the Society Islands are prized for their historical importance, aesthetic appeal and connection to major Pacific voyages of discovery. As original works on paper, they offer collectors and historians insight into how these striking island landscapes were perceived and represented in early Pacific print culture.