The Hon’ble East India Company’s Ship ‘Lord Lowther’ - Huggins 1828

The Hon’ble East India Company’s Ship ‘Lord Lowther’ Painted by: William John Huggins (Marine Painter to King William IV) Engraved by: Edward Duncan Published in: London Year: 1828 (May 1st) Condition: Original hand-coloured aquatint; professionally framed. A Grand Commemoration of the China Trade This spectacular 1828 aquatint is a premier example of 19th-century maritime portraiture. Painted by W.J. Huggins, who served as a seaman for the East India Company before becoming a royal marine painter, it captures the Lord Lowther as she departs the harbour of Prince of Wales Island (modern-day Penang, Malaysia). The Lord Lowther and the Eastern Passage Launched in 1825, the Lord Lowther was a massive 1,332-ton East Indiaman—the "super-tankers" of their day. The Scene: A starboard bow view showing the ship in full sail, navigating the busy waters of Penang. The foreground features local indigenous craft, providing a vivid contrast between traditional Eastern vessels and the industrial might of the British merchant fleet. Historical Dedication: The plate is formally dedicated to George Gooch, Esq., an Elder Brother of Trinity House, and acknowledges Captain Charles Steward, who commanded the ship on her maiden voyage to India and China. Strategic Detail: Penang served as a vital victualling station and assembly point for the China-bound tea fleets, making this scene a definitive record of the maritime logistics that fueled the British Empire.