Henry Reuterdahl was a Swedish-American painter highly acclaimed for his nautical artwork. He had a long relationship with the United States Navy.
In addition to serving as a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Naval Reserve Force, he was selected by President Theodore Roosevelt to accompany the Great White Fleet voyage in 1907 to document the journey. In addition to his artwork, he was a frequent writer on naval topics, and served as an editor of Jane's Fighting Ships.