Background
Molenaer was born and died in Antwerp.
Molenaer was born and died in Antwerp.
According to Karel van Mander he was called Schele Neel, or "near-sighted Neal". He hired himself out for a day"s wages (one daalder) and could paint a complete landscape in one day in the "watercolor way", without a maulstick. Foreign a grassy field he charged 7 stuivers.
Works in progress at home were seldom finished, which is perhaps why he became a wage-earner, so that patrons could keep an eye on his work.
He was followed by the painter January Nagel, who couldn"t match his style of landscapes, but was better at figures. According to the RKD he collaborated on landscapes with Gillis Coignet and Gillis Mostaert.
He was a good landscape painter with little feeling for figures.