C. Graham is a British amateur artist who travelled to the East in the mid-19th century. This print shows the history of Singapore as a British settlement. The soldiers of the East India Company marches down from Government Hill towards the Plain, two significant landmarks in Singapore which still exist today. Two tall trees are shown on the right, with numerous others pictured across the townscape. Distinctive warm-climate plants such as coconut or palm trees were frequently used in prints as a symbol of Singapore’s tropical nature. In the distance lies an expanse of water dotted with numerous ships along the horizon. A row of warehouses along the banks of the Singapore River to the right shows a few ships docked. This panoramic view across the settlement and the port presents an impression of Singapore as a busy trading port in the 19th century.
