Anon. Hong Kong, Loading the Ship for Canton, China

An original 1922 oil painting Hong Kong, Loading the Ship for Canton, China.

A fantastically vibrant oil painting on paper depicting a night view at the port of Hong Kong, with cargo being loaded onto a ship bound for Canton. This picture forms part of a series of sketches made on a steamship voyage from Europe to Asia between January and April, 1922.

Through the pictures in the series we can trace the artist's full journey: along the North African coast, past Cape Bon (Tunisia), via Port Said harbour (Egypt) and Port Tewfik (Suez, Egypt); past Cape Guardafui (Somalia) and Minicoy island south-west of India; onwards to Kuala Lumpur, and through the South China Sea (east of Singapore) to Hong Kong and Shanghai. The route then passes up the Yangtze River, past Wu-uh and Nanking, then west to Anking, Wushan and the Wind Box Gorge. The final recorded location is at Nikko in Japan.

The identity of the artist is unknown but they were likely part of the British merchant navy and their activities in Asia in the interwar years.

There are partial graphite sketches on the verso.