James Nairn was a Scottish-New Zealand artist and a significant landscape painter of the late 19th century. Strongly influenced by European Impressionists, he introduced their vibrant color techniques into the New Zealand art scene. To further promote this style, he founded the Pumpkin Cottage Group, an artist collective dedicated to modern and free painting techniques. Through his work, Nairn influenced multiple generations of New Zealand painters and is regarded as a key figure in the region's art history. His most famous works include Otago Harbour and Evening Glow.