Very little is known about this early English marine artist, who was a contemporary of Peter Monamy, and like him influenced by Willem van de Velde the younger, with whose late studio it is possible he could have been associated. This is an imaginary scene, for which parallels in terms of subject and treatment can be found in both the work of van de Velde and Monamy. The painter has usually been known as 'J. Cook' but a version has now (2012) surfaced of one of his favoured compositions, showing ships off Alexandria (see BHC0986), which is signed 'John Cook' and clears up the mystery of his first name.