In 1935, Matson Lines commissioned celebrated muralist Eugene Savage to create a series of island-style paintings. Savage chose to depict “the pageantry of Hawaii”. He painted 6 murals which told the story of Hawaii’s past, from the earliest of Polynesian days to the annexation of the territory by the United States at the turn of the century.
In 1947, after the war, color reproductions of Savage’s art were released on menus for the luxury liner, the Lurline.
In 1950, Bill Foster Sr. of the Mallinson Company and textile designer John “Keoni” Meigs assisted the Kamehameha Garment Company in converting Savage’s art into a successful textile design. The Mallinson company produced a seven color reproduction of Savage’s painting, “Island Feast”, producing a timeless, stunning and innovative design.
