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William Wood, A Series of Twenty-eight Panoramic Views of Calcutta, Extending from Chandpaul Ghaut to the End of Chowringhee Road, together with the Hospital, the Two Bridges, and the Fort, London: William Wood, 1833

24 lithographed plates (of 28) mounted on India paper; contemporary half calf over publisher's printed boards with 5 raised bands at the spine
52.5 x 35 x 1.5 cm

Limited edition of 121, 83 units subscribed in India and 38 in England.

LIST OF PLATES
1. Chandpaul Ghaut / 2. Esplanade Row, with Town Hall / 3. Esplanade Row, with Treasury and Government House / 4. Esplanade Row, with the entrances to Government House etc / 5. Esplanade Row, with the Club House / 6. Esplanade Row and Chowringhee Road, showing the Cossitollah & Durrumtollah Roads and the Oil Bazaar / 7. Chowringhee Road / 8. Chowringhee Road, with the Juan Bazaar St. / 9. Chowringhee Road / 10. Chowringhee Road, with the Monohur Doss's Tank / 11. Chowringhee Road showing the G.P.O., Lindsay St and Monohur Doss's Tank / 12. Chowringhee Road, showing Speke Street / 13. Chowringhee Road with the entrance to the Sudderdewany Adalut, Native Court of Justice / 14. Chowringhee Road, showing Kyd Street / 15. Chowringhee Road, with Park Steet and the Asiatic Society's House / 16. Chowringhee Road with General's Tank / 17-18. Chowringhee Road (different views) / 19. Chowringhee Road showing the Bishop's Palace / 20. Chowringhee Road. Middleton Street [MISSING] / 21. Chowringhee Road with Elliott's Tank and Harrington Street [MISSING] / 22. Chowringhee Road with Theatre Road and the Theatre [MISSING] / 23. Chowringhee Road with Ballard's Buildings [MISSING] / 24. Chowringhee Road / 25. The New General Hospital, taken in 1829 / 26. Kyderpoor Bridge / 27. The Fort / 28. Allipore Bridge.

Wood arrived in Calcutta in 1828 to assist his brother, George, who was the superintendent of the Asiatic Lithographic Press, established at Park Street in the 1820's. His series of prints in this book presents an almost continuous panorama of buildings as viewed from the Maidan. Starting with Chandpal Ghat, they extend along Esplanade Row and then turn into Chowringhee. Several mansions appear still under construction using bamboo scaffolding; in the foreground, people tend their animals, wash their clothes or themselves in the public tanks and relax in groups, smoking their hookahs.

“The elegant forms of the buildings of European Calcutta heralded an important stage in the history of architecture of the subcontinent: the evolution of Western styles into forms which would become commonplace in the Indian context. This building depicted shows what became the conventional pattern, a two or three storeyed block, well-proportioned and set in a garden, and with columned verandahs protecting its rooms from the heat”. (Source: British Library)

Reference: J R Abbey, Travel in Aquatint and Lithography 1770-1860, 495

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