荷兰出生在伯斯勒姆，斯塔福德郡，在那里他的父亲和他的家庭的其他成员在被雇用陶艺作品威廉·达文波特在Longport。詹姆斯是自己雇有，从12岁，7年，画在陶器和花瓷器。1819年，他来到伦敦，在那里他继续作为一个画家陶艺工作，但也给了教训，描绘风景，建筑和海洋学科。

他首先陈列在皇家科学院在1824年和1830年访问法国，并提出其体系结构研究。1823年，他表现出“伦敦的Blackheath”的图片。1835年他成为联营参展商水彩画画家协会，但他留下的社会于1843年，并加入了公会英国的艺术家，其中他仍然是一个成员，直到1848年，他于1856年再结合了水彩画会，而两年后当选为正式成员。

荷兰做了很大的图纸所示的一年生植物的一天，并为此走访威尼斯，米兰，日内瓦于1836年，和巴黎，与葡萄牙在1837年他的葡萄牙绘画作品被刊登在书中，“游客在葡萄牙。“ 1839年，他展出的画里斯本皇家学院。1845年他到鹿特丹，葡萄牙又在1847年，1850年到诺曼底和北威尔士，在1851年再次前往日内瓦，并于1857年再次到威尼斯。

在他的一生中，他展出，除了他的水彩画社会的贡献，在皇家学院，91在32画面英国机构和108在英国艺术家协会。虽然一般归类为水彩画画家，他在油一样娴熟。他是英语学校最优秀的调色师之一，他的照片，尤其是威尼斯，虽然在他的一生被忽略，多了在他去世后的几年追捧。他似乎已经停止在1857年展出。

一个荷兰的学生是地形艺术家弗兰克·狄龙（1823年至1909年），尤其是对他的埃及画作闻名。
 

Holland was born in Burslem, Staffordshire, where his father and other members of his family were employed at the pottery works of William Davenport in Longport. James was himself employed there, from the age of 12, for 7 years, painting flowers on pottery and porcelain. In 1819, he came to London where he continued to work as a pottery painter, but also gave lessons in drawing landscapes, architecture, and marine subjects.

He first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1824 and in 1830 visited France and made studies of its architecture. In 1823 he exhibited a picture of 'London from Blackheath'. In 1835 he became an associate exhibitor of The Society of Painters in Water-colours, but he left the society in 1843, and joined theSociety of British Artists, of which he remained a member until 1848. He rejoined the Watercolour Society in 1856, and was elected a full member two years later.

Holland did a great deal of drawing for the illustrated annuals of the day, and for this purpose visitedVenice, Milan, Geneva, and Paris in 1836, and Portugal in 1837. His paintings of Portugal were published in the book, "The Tourist in Portugal".[3] In 1839 he exhibited a painting of Lisbon at the Royal Academy. In 1845 he went to Rotterdam, Portugal again in 1847, in 1850 to Normandy and North Wales, in 1851 again to Geneva, and in 1857 again to Venice.

In the course of his life he exhibited, in addition to his contributions to the Watercolour Society, 32 pictures at the Royal Academy, 91 at the British Institution, and 108 at the Society of British Artists. Though generally classed as a water-colour painter, he was equally skilful in oils. He was one of the finest colourists of the English school, and his pictures, especially those of Venice, though neglected in his lifetime, became much sought after in the years after his death. He appears to have ceased to exhibit in 1857.

One of Holland's pupils was topographical artist Frank Dillon (1823–1909) known especially for his paintings of Egypt.