Vista en Perspectiva de la Isla de Bombay en Africa, cerca de la costa de Malabar, Reyno de Visapour, baxo la dominacion del Rey de la Gran Bretaña

circa 1760s

Original hand-coloured copper engraving on paper

10 x 16.25 in (25.5 x 41 cm)

Hand-coloured copper engraving of Bombay by Jan van Ryne and published by Jean-François Daumont in Paris circa 1760s. Beautiful panoramic view of the city of Bombay, which came under English domination in 1661. At that time, Bombay was located on an island of the same name, now attached to the mainland. The view is dedicated to Francisco de Avellaneda y Trivino.

"The area of Bombay was originally composed of seven islands. In 1661, these islands were acquired by the British Crown from the Portuguese as part of the marriage dowry of Catherine of Braganza when she married Charles II. From 1668, the East India Company leased the land from the British Crown and developed the area as a trading port. A manor house of the Portuguese, situated on Bombay Island, provided a suitable site for the fort. A custom house, warehouse, quay and fortifications were also built soon after. Under the governorship of Charles Boone in the early 18th century, outer fortifications around the town of Bombay were constructed as well as a number of public buildings, including the Church of St Thomas. In this view, we can see the custom house, the Church of St Thomas and the flagstaff. By the 1860s, the need for military defence lessened and Governor Sir Bartle Frere demolished the fort walls. As a result, Bombay underwent an ambitious phase of building in the Victorian style." (Source: British Library Board)

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