Special to the Star-Bulletin
An 1825 painting of Princess Nahienaena is on view
at the Academy of Arts. A close look reveals a schooner
in the background, hinting at Western contact.
In Robert Dampier's 1825 oil painting, Nahienaena's young eyes and regal pose show strength, intelligence and vitality. In her Hawaiian cape and adornment is a demonstration of pride in culture.
What the viewer generally overlooks is the presence of a Western schooner in the bay behind the princess. It's almost an afterthought, a few hair-thin lines in the distance.
Some might say the juxtaposition foreshadowed the monarchy's end.
But to do so would be to read too much intent on the part of the artist, when, according to Jennifer Saville, curator of Western Art for the academy, most artists were merely attempting to paint what they saw.
The painting is one of 35 works that form "Hawaii and Its People," an exhibit opening today at the academy. The works date from 1779, just after Capt. James Cook discovered the Hawaiian islands, to the mid-1930s, the beginning of Modernism.
"These paintings are so interesting because they show Western contact escalating," said Saville. "It's easy to overlook small details, but often that's where we learn what was going on.
"We tend to think nostalgically of this art, but the pieces are also important historically, in terms of the kinds of tattoos people had, the garments they were wearing and how towns are put together."
While showing changes in Hawaii's landscapes and people, the show also indicates changes within the artists themselves.
"The first works were purely documentary, by artists such as John Webber, who were on scientific expeditions," Saville said. "They were there to objectively show this strange, different, exotic, faraway place."
The early works included landscapes, flora and fauna, implements and activities of people.
It was only in the late 19th century, she said, that artists began to make personal statements.
Saville points to Shirley Ximena Hopper Russell's oil on canvas, "Boy's Day (1935)," as an example.
"She was aware of the intermingling of cultures on the plantation. This was a very dry, not particularly luxurious community. Yet on a festival day, it was very colorful and she was aware of the festive air and of creating a bright and light image that would reflect on and honor the community."
Saville said it was an exciting time that saw the creation of works by a growing community of island-born artists with their own perceptions of their home land. These pioneers lay the groundwork for work that continues today.
What: "Hawaii and Its People"