No old master or modern artist begins to match the variety of landscapes Jacob van Ruisdael (1628/9--1682) depicted during the course of his career, nor his grandeur of conception and skill in portraying natural phenomena. His themes span identifiable towns, cities, and castles; rural scenes, both cultivated and wild; seascapes and shore scenes; rivers, bridges, and sluices; rushing torrents and Scandinavian waterfalls. In this beautifully illustrated book, Seymour Slive demonstrates Ruisdael's unrivaled range and quality through a vivid evocation of his career not only as a painter, but also as a draftsman and etcher. Slive discusses the artist's clientele, early collectors and critics, as well as his influence on another preeminent landscapist, John Constable.