Lot 25: POSTER: WILLIAM SPENCER BAGDATOPOULOS (1888-1965) HOWRAH BRIDGE / VISIT INDIA. 39 x 24 inches. The Times of India Press.

WILLIAM SPENCER BAGDATOPOULOS (1888-1965) HOWRAH BRIDGE / VISIT INDIA.
39 x 24 inches. The Times of India Press.
Condition B+: vertical and horizontal folds in image; repaired tears in margins.
The "old" Howrah Bridge was opened in 1874. Designed by Sir Bradford Leslie, the bridge, with two arched, metal shore spans floated on pontoons, allowing ships to pass as well as being able to adapt to tidal movement in the river. 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 "Bylityis" 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 and then 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.