NICOLAES (KLAES) MOLENAER

(Haarlem, 1630 - 1676) River landscape with horsemen and bathers Oil on panel, 41X55 cm Provenance: Amsterdam, Sotheby's, March 11, 2003, lot 52 (as Nicolaes Molenaer) Private collection. Bibliography: RKD: https://rkd.nl/imageslite/183893 A native of Haarlem, Claes Molenaer's training was in the family circle and his work was mainly in the landscape genre, particularly portraying views and vistas of villages and towns. Of particular importance to his art was the influence of Jacob van Ruisdael, and we know him enrolled in the Guild of St. Luke in 1651, when he was able to open his own studio. The work is accompanied by a critical file by Raffaella Colace. Reference bibliography: W. Bernt, Die Niederlandische Maler des 17 Jahrhunderts, Munich 1979, 3. vol., N 532-533 I. van Thiel-Stroman, Claes (Nicolaes) Jansz Molenaer, in Painting in Haarlem 1500-1850. The collection of the Frans Hals Museum, Gent-Haarlem 2006, p. 239-240