Background
He was born in Haarlem as the son of Wouter Claes Woutersz and Maria Adriaensdr van der Meer.
He was born in Haarlem as the son of Wouter Claes Woutersz and Maria Adriaensdr van der Meer.
He was first called Nicolaes Woutersz and later added his mother"s surname. Though he is known for his wedding portrait with its pendant, Van der Meer was also portrayed as Captain of the Street Jorisschutterij in Hals" The Banquet of the Officers of the Street George Militia Company in 1616. These pendant portraits were painted on oak panels and after these, Hals switched to canvas and oak panel became more rare in his oeuvre.
The pendants came into the possession of the Frans Hals Museum in 1883, when they were left in the estate of J.C.W. Fabricius van Leyenburg.
Haarlem schutterij]
In 1607 he became a member of the Haarlem regency. In 1619 he became a member of the Admiralty of Amsterdam, and in 1622 he became a representative to the States-General of the Netherlands for Haarlem.