Rushbury, a painter and etcher, studied stained glass design and mural decoration at Birmingham College of Art. He settled in London, specialising in architectural subjects, and travelled abroad to Italy, France and Spain, in search of such subjects. He was a member of the New English Art Club, became a Royal Academician, and was knighted in 1964. The Museum has a number of etchings by Rushbury in which the artist uses the technique of drypoint. The watercolour has the title or inscription "Building aircraft carrier" and is signed and dated 1944.