Abraham Hulk was born in London into a family of Dutch extraction. He studied painting in Holland at the Amsterdam Academy of Art. Hulk was noted for his marine subjects and exhibited his work regularly in The Hague, Amsterdam and Leeuwarden. In 1870 he returned to London, where he lived for the rest of his life. He exhibited his work at the Royal Academy in London.

Hulk was a master of atmosphere in marine scenes. “Shipping in the Scheldt Estuary” shows Hulk’s ability to paint an atmospheric scene of barges in tranquil waters in a beautifully composed setting.