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CALCUTTA (lots 217-229) After the Battle of Plassey in 1757, British trade in India expanded rapidly, swelling the population to more than 150,000 people. A large garrison was placed at the New Fort William soon after 1757. The Esplanade and Chowringee Road became the seat of great private 'houses of agency' which managed the funds of East India Company servants and private traders. Magnificent Palladian mansions were built to meet the demand for accommodation by the rich European merchants and traders who started to flock to the city in ever-increasing numbers. Lord Clive described Calcutta as 'one of the most wicked places in the Universe...Rapacious and luxurious beyond conception'. In 1772 government offices moved to the Writer's Building which became the centre of expanding official business. By the time Warren Hastings, the first governor-general of British India returned to England in 1785, Calcutta had already become known as the 'City of Palaces'.

Circle of William Baillie (1723-1792)

View of the Hooghly River, Calcutta, looking upriver

Details

Circle of William Baillie (1723-1792)
View of the Hooghly River, Calcutta, looking upriver
oil on canvas
15½ x 21 in. (39.4 x 53.3 cm.)

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

The view extends from the Esplanade by the river to Old Government House which was pulled down by the Governor-General Marquess of Wellesley in 1800. The spire belongs to St. John's Church.

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