This panoramic painting is one of the earliest views of the Shanghai Bund. From the buildings visible, it has been dated to between 1849 and 1851. The artist included several landmarks, among them the first European-style buildings in the settlement and the Chinese Custom House. In the foreground, boats take part in a regatta. As Shanghai grew in stature as a British and European settlement, paintings like this were important records of the development of the port and the increasing volume of international ships in the harbour. The city became a gateway for interactions between East and West.
