This painting is of Parsley Bay, a small inlet adjacent to Vaucluse Bay, in Sydney Harbour. The words of author Louisa Anne Meredith, in 1844, well describe the source of Peacock’s inspiration: ‘the countless bays and inlets of this noble estuary render it extremely beautiful … the pretty shrubs, grow thickly amid the rocks, and down to the water’s edge, add infinitely to the effect’. 

Peacock’s depictions of the charms of the harbour reflect the interests of his patrons, who viewed it as a place of leisure and pleasure.