VISIT INDIA / HOWRAH BRIDGE, CALCUTTA. Circa 1935.
39x24 1/4 inches, 99x61 1/2 cm. The Times of India Press, [Bombay]. Condition A-: minor repaired tears at edges; minor restoration along horizontal folds. Framed.
The "old" Howrah Bridge, designed by Sir Bradford Leslie, was opened in 1874. The bridge was constructed with two arched metal shore spans floating on pontoons, which accommodated tidal movements in the river and allowed ships to pass. It connected the important centers of Calcutta and Howrah, and had lanes for both pedestrians and traffic. The Howrah Station Building (terminus of the East Indian Railways and a very important travel hub) can be seen in the background. The old bridge came down in 1937 and the new Howrah bridge was opened in 1943.
William Bagdatopoulos was born in Greece and grew up in Holland, where he studied art and painting. His stylized signature, which looks like "Bylityllis," has caused most of his graphic work to be incorrectly attributed. Bagdatopoulos moved to Britain in 1908 and became a fellow of England's Royal Society of Artists. He moved to the United States in 1928, first to Chicago before settling in Santa Barbara. In addition to his watercolors and paintings, he also designed posters promoting the Indian Railways, the Cunard shipping line, Derry & Toms and other commercial and travel-related ventures.
