James Ranalph Jackson (1882-1975) was an Australian painter, perhaps best known for painting views of Sydney harbour.

Sydney Harbour made such an impression on James that it would remain a major motif in his work for the rest of his life.

In 1906 he wanted to work with Bernard Hall at the National Gallery schools in Melbourne but did not gain admission.

There (Sir) Frank Brangwyn encouraged Jackson to paint thickly and taught him the basic technology.

Jackson next spent a year in the Latin Quarter in Paris, studying at the Académie Colarossi and then touring Europe during the summer.

In December 1926 the couple left Sydney to visit Paris and London, and then travel through the Pyrenees to Spain.

This forced James and Dora to rent out the house they had built at Seaforth, a suburb of northern Sydney, and to move to the country where the cost of living was lower.

While living on the North Shore, Jackson painted many landscapes and seascapes of Sydney harbour, both in oils and watercolour.

Sydney Harbour and surrounds provided Jackson with many scenes for his canvas and were popular with collectors.

Drawing inspiration from his childhood, Sydney Harbour would provide subject matter for Jackson for over five decades.

Jackson exhibited continuously from 1907 until the early 1970s, principally in Sydney,  Melbourne, and Brisbane, but also in London and Paris.