A Road winding between Trees towards a Distant Cottage

1628

Born

1646

First dated paintings and etchings

The earliest date on Ruisdael's paintings and etchings is 1646; the young man was strongly influenced by the Haarlem landscape painters Cornelis Vroom and Allart van Everdingen. Two years later he was admitted to the Haarlem Guild of St Luke.

1650

Journey to Germany with Nicolaes Berchem

With Nicolaes Berchem, one of the painters who would later add figures to his landscapes, Ruisdael travels to Bentheim and Steinfurt, just across the German border (other accounts date the trip to Westphalia to around 1650). Afterwards his landscapes take on a more heroic character, with larger and more prominent forms.

c. 1657

Moves to Amsterdam

Ruisdael moves to prosperous Amsterdam, which likely offered a bigger market for his work: his fellow Haarlem painter Allart van Everdingen had already moved there and found buyers. He lived there for the rest of his life (other accounts date the move to 1657).

1668

Witness at the wedding of his pupil Meindert Hobbema

In 1668 Ruisdael witnesses the marriage of Meindert Hobbema, his only registered pupil. He himself never married — according to Houbraken, to reserve time to serve his old father.

10 maart 1682

Died