Throughout his career as a painter, Edward Cooke travelled extensively in Europe, visiting France, Holland, Italy, Spain, North Africa and Scandinavia. Paintings and drawings resulted from all his travels, but it is evident that the places that provided the strongest fascination for him besides the southern coastline of England were the beaches and estuaries of Holland and the topography of Venice and Italy.

In this drawing made on the Tiber at Rome, Cooke shows his characteristic interest in all aspects of maritime and river life. He drew with acute insight all the details of different craft, their construction, fitting of rudders, masts and yards, the rigging and sails, fishing nets and other equipment, and other types of working gear. In this pencil drawing he shows a curious paddle-wheel fishing device seemingly typical of the Tiber, with a lone fisherman alongside.