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Oil on canvas, 91cm x 117cm
This is the only known painting of a Liverpool whaling ship, perhaps because whaling was never a major industry in the port. The 'James' was originally a French ship and was seized by privateers in 1781. She made her first whaling voyage in 1800 and went to Greenland every year until 1821.
The artist shows a number of boats in the water. At the bow of each stands a marksman with his harpoon. Several whales are depicted, some spouting water from their blowholes. To the right, a group of men on an ice floe are killing a seal. The tails of several seals can be seen in the icy sea.