The Shanghai Bund was settled by Western companies following the 1843 Treaty of Nanking. This picture shows part of the English concession (at the far left), the Chinese Customs House on the premises of a former temple and the French concession (to the right of the painting) beside the bridge over Suzhou Creek. The river is alive with various Chinese seagoing junks, sampans and tea clippers flying American and English flags.
This painting is very similar to the one by Chow Qua from the Sze Yuan Tang Collection exhibited at Agnew's in January/February 1997, Catalogue, no.17