View taken on the Esplanade, Calcutta

The English artists Thomas Daniell and his nephew William Daniell, toured India in the 1700s to document various parts of the country. These ‘views’ were later reproduced in their book of paintings called 'Oriental Scenery: One Hundred and Fifty Views of the Architecture, Antiquities, and Landscape Scenery of Hindoostan'. The Esplanade of Calcutta (now Kolkata) was an open promenade located to the north of Fort William on the banks of the Hooghly River. The west end of Esplanade Row is visible at the far right of the image. The ships that are visible in the background includes some of the East India Company vessels known as ‘East Indiamen’.