This naïve-style painting by Jessie Edith Svenson is a rendering of an original hand-coloured lithograph print titled Part of Lambton Harbour, in Port Nicholson. Comprising about one third of the water frontage of the town of Wellington in 1841, it is based on a drawing by London–born Charles Heaphy (1815-1881) and engraved, probably in London, by British architect and topographical illustrator Thomas Allom (1804-1872). Created while Heaphy was Resident Artist and Surveyor of the New Zealand Company, the original would have formed part of the Company’s publicity campaign to attract more migrants. Today, the related view would be along the length of Lambton Quay, from the corner of Willis Street.

Svenson came from a family of strong Salvationists at Morrison’s Bush in the Wairarapa. At a relatively young age, and apparently on the advice of the Salvation Army, she was committed to Porirua mental hospital where she remained for the rest of her life.