"The City of Hong Kong" Entering Bombay

Circa 1980s - 1990s

Oil on canvas

26.75 x 34.25 in   |  68 x 87 cm

THE CITY OF HONG KONG ENTERING BOMBAY HARBOUR, CAPTAIN J. L. CHAPMAN, 1980S–1990S

This oil painting by Captain J L Chapman—a mariner-artist active in the later 20th century—depicts the passenger ship City of Hong Kong approaching Bombay Harbour, most likely during the 1980s or 1990s. The liner, with its distinctive yellow-and-black funnel, moves steadily into port, escorted visually by a flotilla of local fishing craft and sailing boats that animate the calm blue waters in the foreground.

In the right middle distance, the Prong’s Lighthouse is clearly visible, marking the treacherous Prong’s Reef off Colaba, a live coral reef that for centuries represented one of the principal hazards to navigation at Bombay’s southern approach. Beyond, the faint outlines of Navy Nagar’s modernist buildings rise on the horizon, situating the view firmly in a post-independence yet pre-globalised Bombay.

Chapman’s perspective bridges two eras: the modern liner, emblem of late-20th-century maritime commerce, sails past traditional dhows and local craft that have plied the harbour for generations. The juxtaposition of scale—majestic liner against intimate boats—underscores Bombay’s identity as both a working harbour and a cosmopolitan gateway city.

Formally, the painting belongs to a long tradition of marine portraiture, where ships are shown in profile against calm seas and recognisable landmarks. Chapman’s treatment is straightforward and documentary, with smooth brushwork and controlled tonality capturing both the solidity of the vessel and the hazy atmosphere of Bombay’s coast.

As a visual record, the painting preserves an important moment in the harbour’s maritime history: a period when international liners like the City of Hong Kong continued to serve South Asia, even as air travel increasingly displaced ocean voyages. It stands as a nostalgic reminder of Bombay’s enduring role as a port city where East and West converged across the waters of the Arabian Sea.

This lot is offered at NO RESERVE

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