Probably painted off the coast of Hongkong, this port scene would have been painted before 1861 when the signal tower was erected on Victoria Hill (canvas, right). In addition, on a stylistic basis, while the frame on this painting is not representative of the comparatively simpler aesthetic of the "Chinese Chippendale" frame style of the second quarter 19th century, it is also not an example of the more ornately pierced and carved frames typical of the late 19th century. The frame shown here, possibly original to the painting, may therefore be a mid-century example indicative of these two extant, yet divergent, aesthetics. For a further discussion of this, see Carl L. Crossman, The Decorative Arts of the China Trade, (Suffolk, England, 1991).