From the late 18th century to the early 19th century, the port of Liverpool was a major port on trans-Atlantic routes. Thus, it was where marine painters gathered. The characteristics of these Liverpool paintings are that they render the many different angles of the ship while at the same time, through delicate and rich brush strokes, harmoniously balance the beauty of the boat, the sea, the sky, the rocks and the grand lighthouse. To sum up, such detail and skill were quite different from the rough sketches on the docks.

Painter Samuel Walters, a Liverpool native, painted Susan, a merchant vessel, against the backdrop of the Perch Rock Lighthouse and the River Mersey. The ship is painted in three positions: from the front, portside, and from the back.