Singapore through 19th Century Prints and Paintings

A selection of topographic prints of places such as the harbour, Singapore River, Fort Canning Hill, as well as paintings of the cosmopolitan trade town and of tranquil rural scenes, the views presented in Singapore through 19th Century Prints and Paintings show the colonial port-city in its first century and constitute a historically significant source of information on Singapore’s early development.

Often published in Europe and America in accounts of scientific voyages, travel books and in bound folios, these works portray the experiences of 19th-century travellers, reflecting their individual impressions, experiences, prejudices and insights. Descriptions of the settlement by travellers and early settlers, in addition to detailed captions and two lively essays from experts, reveal European impressions of Singapore in the early 19th century, as well as the fertile environment in which these paintings and prints were produced and marketed, fuelled by a burgeoning travel industry. Information on the background of the artists, lithographers and publishers and the evolution of techniques will offer fresh insights on the production and commercialisation of prints and painting as well as Singapore’s central role in this industry.

Often distinguished by exceptional detail, the images in Singapore through 19th Century Prints and Paintings create an intriguing visual record, offering some of the oldest, rarest and most vibrant glimpses of Singapore.