All the painters we have encountered so far were posted to Tahiti or arrived there by accident, as a result of the unpredictable outcome of journeys, adventures and attracted by the unknown or because of its reputation. Their purpose in Tahiti was encountered after they had discovered the island.

In Morillot's case, he was not a painter but became one when he saw Tahiti: it was a matter of love at first sight. Consequently he decided to express his admiration through color. Thus he had to abandon his career in the Navy.

Octave Morillot, who was first ensign, left the "Borda" after several campaigns in 1898 and was sent aboard the "Durance", a guard-ship in the Pacific Ocean. He was Victor Segalen's companion, the author of the "Immemorials" before becoming a poet in "Steles". They were attracted by each other's enthusiasm and became friends. Segalen encouraged Morillot to return to the South Seas to paint. After long and fairly regular leaves in Tahiti, he received a cable from the Admiralty instructing him to return to his duties or leave the Navy. He handed in his notice and settled in Tahaa : "my favorite and blessed island where I am alone free from disturbing Europeans, surrounded by natives in the depth of the forest which stretches from the sea to the peaks with my books, paintbrushes, dogs and a companion with long hair".

He was fairly rich and settled in a very large Polynesian estate, planted coconut trees, set up a vanilla plantation, led the life of a lord, brought in bulls and boars, had a pack of hounds but was extremely keen on painting even more so than on hunting. He was obsessed with this "determination to say what he had to say with a paintbrush. My sole reason for giving up my career was to paint my islands. I have a definite objective in mind and it is very limited! When I am in France or in any other place than Tahaa, even Tahiti, I am always incapable of drawing or painting. My brain remains inactive!".

Right from the beginning of his retirement in the South Sea Islands, Morillot was stubborn in his ambition to spend the major part of his life painting a monumental picture to the glory of these Eden-like islands where he had come to live and to the race that had so generously welcomed him. Self-taught and after a considerable amount of work and observation, Morillot succeeded in finding his own style. Apart from having a good drawing technique, he used clashing colors and he would contrast the striking sets of purples, blues and very intensive greens with oranges, reds and yellows. Gauguin's influence can be felt on the pure colors. "I remember being dazzled by the extraordinary impact of the exotic representation given in his paintings whose magic like colors were unknown. This was all Gustave Moreau's warm affectation transmitted from legendary myths to reality in a Polynesian paradise".