Not much more is known about the life of Jonkheer Johannes Mock than that he was born in 1800 in Warendorf, Germany and that he was an officer in the army. Around 1827 he opted for an artistic career. He settled in The Hague and took lessons from the landscape painter Hendrikus van de Sande Bakhuyzen. Under the influence of this teacher, he initially made landscapes for cattle. After that he completely switched to painting sea and beach views with fishing boats, harbours and watery cityscapes.