Dutch painter (name variants: Nicolaes or Claes, Molenaar), the cousin of Jan Miense Molenaer. He joined the Guild of St Luke in Haarlem in 1651 and worked there his whole life. He specialized in landscapes and genre scenes, painting skating scenes, peasants outside taverns, and coastal views. His early works show the influence of Jan van Goyen and he is thought to have studied with Salomon van Ruysdael. His later work was strongly influenced by his contemporary and fellow Haarlem artist Jacob van Ruisdael. //