A scene bathed in golden light showing the East Indiaman ‘Hindustan’ and another vessel, at anchor off the coast of China. The 'Hindustan' is probably drying its sails. A ship’s boat is pulling away from the ship and there are several Chinese junks in the water.

The painting is thought to commemorate the ‘Hindustan’s’ first voyage for the East India Company to China at the start of 1790, returning just over a year later in January 1791 under Captain William Mackintosh. Luny was commissioned to produce five paintings of the ‘Hindustan’ from this voyage. Since this painting dates from before Luny’s service in the Royal Navy, the commission must have been done from imagination.

In 1795 the ‘Hindustan’ was sold to the government, to become the 4th rate ship HMS ‘Hindostan’. In October 1792 it undertook its second trip to China, escorting the ‘Lion’ with Lord Macartney on board, as part of Britain’s trading embassy to the Chinese Emperor, which was ultimately unsuccessful. Altogether the ‘Hindostan’ was in service between 1789-1802 and made six major voyages during this time. After various operations in the Atlantic and Mediterranean it was burnt by accident on 2 April 1804 in Rosas bay, San Sebastian.

Luny’s associated paintings of the ‘Hindustan’ in the collection are BHC3403, BHC3405, BHC3406 and BHC3407. The National Maritime Museum also has the log book of the ‘Hindostan’ for the period 1795-96 and 1803, ADM/L/H/158, and naval papers related to the salvage of the wreck, MSS/81/108.