Dutch painter

Probably Alkmaar 1609/1611 – 1670 Amsterdam 

 

Painter of seascapes.

Younger brother of the landscape painter Anthonie (or Anthony) van der Croos (Alkmaar ? circa 1606/07 – 1662/63 The Hague).

 

Pieter lived from 1644 onwards in The Hague, just like his older brother Anthonie.

Both brothers joined the Painter's Guild of Saint Luke in The Hague only in 1647, probably because that year the Guild held a series of important auctions where members only were allowed to sell paintings.

 

Anthonie left The Hague in 1649 for Alkmaar until 1654, when he returned to The Hague. Pieter joined him in Alkmaar in 1651. Both brothers became members of the local Guild of Saint Luke: Anthonie in 1649, Pieter in 1651.

 

Pieter left Alkmaar for Amsterdam, where he joined the Guild in 1661. He died here in 1670.

 

Pieter van der Croos was a close follower of Simon de Vliegher.

Typical of his marine paintings are:

- his detailed compositions.

- the brownish-greyish tonalities of both the choppy waters and the heavily clouded skies.

 

His paintings are rare: they must go hidden under attributions to others, such as the Dutch painters Pieter Mulier I or Pieter Coopse (same monogram "P.C.") or the Flemish painters Bonaventura I Peeters and Jan I Peeters (who were brothers).

 

 

Because Pieter van der Croos was so good at painting the climatological conditions: the wind playing with the dancing waves, the curling clouds, the continuously changing colours and light.