Jacob Isaacksz van Ruisdael

The artist completed his first work in 1646, well before the age of 20. Besides cityscapes and seascapes, Van Ruisdael is most known for his impressive landscapes with striking visual elements such as watermills, ruins, large trees and imposing cloudy skies. He travelled a great deal for inspiration, making drawings along the way. But he also gave his imagination free reign, because many of his landscapes look grander than the actual view. In 1656, Van Ruisdael, who also worked as a physician, moved to Amsterdam. He continued to live and work there until his death in 1682.