Bangkok. Siam

Original chromolithograph depicting a view of Bangkok, capital of Siam, present-day Thailand. The work was made by Eduard Hildebrandt around 1872 and published in Berlin.

The composition shows a panorama of the city from the Chao Phraya River. In the foreground appear traditional Siamese vessels sailing on the waters of the river. In the background one can distinguish the characteristic architecture of the Buddhist temples that dominated Bangkok’s urban landscape in the 19th century.

Eduard Hildebrandt was a German artist who travelled through Asia, America and Europe during the Romantic period. During his expeditions he documented urban and natural landscapes of different regions. This chromolithograph forms part of a series of Oriental views produced after his travels through the Asian continent.

The chromolithographic technique allowed images to be reproduced in colour through successive printings with different lithographic stones. This procedure was commonly used in the second half of the 19th century for the publication of urban views and landscapes.