Nicolas Charles Dekker was originally an architect, but he also studied at the Rijksacademie in Amsterdam, where he was a student of Jan Sluijters, among others. His architectural knowledge can be found in his paintings: he paid a lot of attention to the technical details of the buildings, especially in city views and church interiors. He was inspired by long journeys to Canada, America, Africa and a number of European countries. Dekker made watercolours and pen drawings.