Johan Hendrik van Mastenbroek was born in 1875 in Rotterdam and is known as the Impressionist of the New Time. He primarily painted atmospheric pictures of the Rotterdam harbor and his collected works document the technical progress and the rapidly increasing activity in the Rotterdam port.

Strongly inspired by Jacob Maris, Van Mastenbroek painted lofty, high cloud skies, which often widened the background above the water. He often painted outside in rainy weather and clearly enjoyed the beauty of the sky. Images full of mist and steam, set off by accents of warm grey tones and earthy colors heighten the sense of atmosphere in his paintings.

The foreground of his paintings frequently show people at work in ports or on ships. His works are a remarkably accurate depiction of the busy daily activities of the harbor. First and foremost Van Mastenbroek was a painter of ports, though as a fervent hunter he also favored hunting scenes. He also had a special spot reserved in his heart for Rotterdam, and in 1931 painted his most important industrial series, a vast series of drawings and paintings showcasing the draining of the Zuiderzee.