Paiʻea by Gary Saito
“Famous portraits of King Kamehameha the Great depict an old man that time had conquered. His face is sad and his posture is slumped.
But King Kamehameha, born Paiʻea, in his prime was a towering man whose might and valor were unmatched. He was an impressive figure and a charismatic leader of men, proud in stature and broad across the shoulders.
In addition to fighting many challenging battles, he was also a husband, a father, and a grandfather. I imagine he must also have been a man who knew the joy of family. He must have smiled and laughed and played with his many children and grandchildren. He must have had a gentler face and a loving demeanor at those times.
I wanted to capture that man, that spirit, rather than an old man whose better days are behind him. I wanted to picture the man who was more than a warrior of legend. I wanted to depict him as his children might have seen him.’ – Gary Saito
