James Ranalph Jackson moved to Australia as a teenager and studied drawing at the Royal Art Society of New South Wales in Sydney. Sydney Harbour made an indelible impression on a young Jackson and it became a great a source of inspiration over his long career.

He was an active member of the art community and exhibited regularly. He taught at the Art Society in Sydney and was a foundation member of the Australian Academy of Art, exhibiting with them annually until 1946.

This view of Sydney Harbour from Kurraba Point, Neutral Bay, depicts the beginnings of high-rise development in the suburb in the early 20th century.