Western-style oil paintings produced in China in the 19th century were in most cases done by anonymous craftsmen, and were never considered high art by Chinese literati. Apart from a few very well-known workshops targeting Western customers in Canton, Hong Kong, and Shanghai, the majority of the craftsmen did not leave their signatures on these export paintings. If they ever signed, they would sign in English (e.g., “Sunqua”, the pseudonym of one of the best known Chinese export painting artists working in 19th century Canton). Painted on the stern of the junk shown here are two Chinese characters 'Yong Shun' (from right to left), literally “permanently successful'. This apart, the picture could be a pair to BHC1182 in terms of the junk shown: practically the same British brigantine appears on the right there, though here under the same strong following wind that is making the junk heel.

A painting very similar to BHC1182 appears in the background of a photograph that Scottish photographer John Thomson took in a Hong Kong artist’s studio in 1869; the negative is in the Wellcome Collection (Wellcome Library no. 19840i). This suggests that BHC1182 and its possible pair BHC1181 were probably painted in Hong Kong around that year. The specific studio that Thomson visited has not yet been identified.This suggests that BHC1182 and its possible pair BHC1181 were probably painted in Hong Kong around that year. The specific studio that Thomson visited has not yet been identified.