Paulus van Liender came from a family of artists, training initially with his uncle Jacobus, an enthusiastic amateur draughtsman. Around 1750, he moved from Utrecht to Amsterdam where he apprenticed in a merchant's office, taking lessons in topographic drawing. Van Liender subsequently moved to Haarlem around 1760 where, alongside his artistic endeavors, he also became a highly successful lumber dealer, miraculously also finding the time to help establish the Haarlem Drawing Academy in 1772.
For a very different aspect of Van Liender's draughtsmanship, see the late woodland view in the collection (lot 136).