James Wilson Carmichael

Christie's, 6 November 1997, lot 590

STRUCTURE The canvas has been relined. There is a faint craquelure pattern across the surface and some signs of shrinkage; the work appears in good overall condition, clean and ready to hang. ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT Under UV light there appear to be retouchings along the upper edge and in a few places along the left and lower edges where the canvas meets the frame. There are scattered flecks of fine infillings in areas of the sky, mainly in the left half, and in the sea by the lower left corner. Also two small areas of retouching above right of the right hand ship's masts, two above the sails of the centre ship, and also left of the buoy in the sea (these may relate to small repairs); all these have been well executed and not excessive. FRAME Held in a gilt plaster frame.
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NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Although sources for his early life are sketchy, there is strong evidence to suggest that Carmichael went to sea at an early age and probably served until Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo in 1815. Peace allowed far greater opportunity for travel and artists flocked to absorb the latest artistic practices in France and Italy. The Laing Art Gallery contains numerous sketches by Carmichael, executed "on the spot" in continental Europe, many of which date from the 1840s, the decade of the present picture.   However, it seems highly unlikely that Carmichael would have the means or inclination to travel as far as Hong Kong, and there is no record of him having done so. Indeed we know his whereabouts in 1843, the year the present work was painted, as he was one of the artists recording Queen Victoria's first tour of the North of England and Scotland. Her Majesty acquired a couple of watercolours by Carmichael and two of his pictures - recording her progress in the autumn of 1842 - were exhibited at the Royal Academy the following year. It was also about this time that Carmichael was commissioned by the Duke of Devonshire to paint some panels in the Oak Room at Chatsworth. Such Royal and aristocratic patronage would have had a hugely beneficial effect on Carmichael's reputation and thus provides the context for him to attempt such an ambitious and exotic composition as the present work. 

Hong Kong was initially captured by Captain Elliott in 1839 and was granted to Great Britain following the Convention of Chuenpee two years later. This was further ratified by Treaty of Nanking in 1842 which confirmed the cessation of hostilities known as the Opium War (1839-1842). Demand from the Chinese for Indian opium had reached extraordinary levels by the early nineteenth century providing massive revenues for the Honourable East India company. Initialy shipped to Canton, Hong Kong soon became established as a far more convenient port from which cargoes could be easily delivered along the entire coast of China. The infrastruture required to deal with such an operation led to the rapid expansion and significance of the island which continues to this day.

Against the distinctive skyline of the island, the sheer number and proximity of craft reflect the vital importance of Hong Kong as a burgeoning centre of global trade.  The sleek hull of a British Opium schooner cuts closely across the sumptuously decorated stern of a Chinese deep water junk. Closer to the shore, to the right of the junk, can be seen a large British man-of-war, while a local transport barge rounds the buoy in the foreground.  This variety allows Carmichael to display his exceptional first-hand knowledge of the vessels of his day, as well as a masterful sense of perspective and scale.  

As suggested by Diana Villar, author of John Wilson Carmichael (Carmichael and Sweet Ltd., 1995), it is possible that source material for the picture may have been provided by Captain G.A. Coulson, a fellow Northumbrian and Senior Lieutenant on HMS Blonde who had seen action in the recent hostilities. On his return from the Orient he presented Carmichael with a sketch of China as well as recent first hand reports. Thus the significance of the present work can barely be overstated, being arguably the earliest depiction of Hong Kong by a European artist.