J.R. Charton specialised in painting Malay scenes, particularly landscapes, and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA). This work demonstrates Charton's observations of the iconic freight ships used for trading goods across China and Southeast Asia. He captures the impressive designs of the vessels, equipped with strong sails. J.R. Charton was an English born artist who emigrated to Malaya in the 1920s. In 1922 he embarked on an epic walk with a Lieutenant Alexander from Singapore to London, progress on which was reported in the newspapers. In 1933, he was commissioned five drawings of Malay scenes for posters for the Federal Malay States Railways and in 1938 he provided the illustrations for the book 'A Junior Geography of Malaya'.