The Old Government House stood at the junction of Esplanade Road and Old Court House Street. It was built around three sides of a court, and leased as the residency of the Governor from 1773. In spite of its size, it was considered rather small 'a mean counting house' and so in 1804 the New Government House was built on a far grander scale.

This print formed part of a series of 12 aquatints published under the title Views of Calcutta issued between 1786 and 1788