Dutch, 1603–1677
Aert van der Neer was a Dutch landscape painter, active in his native Amsterdam. He had two specialties: moonlit scenes, of which he is the acknowledged master among Dutch painters, and winter landscapes with skaters. In both types he displayed his mastery of light effects and subtle modulations of color. His work was much copied and imitated, but he had difficulty earning a living as an artist. In 1658 he opened a wine shop in Amsterdam, but this venture was a failure and in 1662 he was declared bankrupt. He died in poverty. Two of his sons were artists.
Text source: The Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists (Oxford University Press).