Willem Hendrik van der Nat (Leiden 1864-1929) was a Dutch impressionist painter who learned the lithography trade from C. Bos. He taught himself the painting trade. Willem also made cartoons for the satirical magazine Uilenspiegel. From 1886, Willem van der Nat trained at the Drawing and Painting Academy 'Ars Aemulae Naturae' in Leiden. Here Willem befriends Floris Verster and comes into contact with art critic Henk Beerder.
In 1891 he married Catharina Bakker. Partly influenced by Vincent van Gogh and Jean Francois Millet, he paints with a rougher brushwork and a pronounced use of color. By 1910 he had become a respected and successful artist, who exhibited frequently. Willem van der Nat had now more or less specialized in paintings with sheep and goats that he made around the villages of Borger and Oosterhesselen in the province of Drenthe. In 1924 he made a study trip through Spain, which resulted in a series of Spanish scenes.
He is considered one of the Leiden Impressionists including Arend Jan van Driesten, Chris van der Windt, Cornelis Vreedenburgh, Johannes Cornelis Roelandse and Alex Rosemeier. Van der Nat is by far the best known besides Vreedenburgh. Van der Nat elaborated on the principles of 19th-century impressionism from The Hague. His landscapes (around Chaam and Garderen) and farm interiors are spontaneous, atmospheric impressions. He also made modest still lifes and many animal portraits. In his time, Van der Nat mainly had a reputation as an animal painter. Unlike the painters of the Hague School who depicted animals as decoration of landscapes, Van der Nat depicted them as creatures with their own character. His drawings were popular and were sold as far afield as England, where he also had a solo exhibition. In 1917, the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague was the first museum to purchase a painting, followed a year later by De Lakenhal. Kröller-Müller now also has work by him. He was a member of 'Arti et Amicitiae' in Amsterdam and taught Chris le Roy, Bram Segaar, Cor van Sillevoldt and Leendert van der Vlist.
In 1891 he married Catharina Bakker. Partly influenced by Vincent van Gogh and Jean Francois Millet, he paints with a rougher brushwork and a pronounced use of color. By 1910 he had become a respected and successful artist, who exhibited frequently. Willem van der Nat had now more or less specialized in paintings with sheep and goats that he made around the villages of Borger and Oosterhesselen in the province of Drenthe. In 1924 he made a study trip through Spain, which resulted in a series of Spanish scenes.
He is considered one of the Leiden Impressionists including Arend Jan van Driesten, Chris van der Windt, Cornelis Vreedenburgh, Johannes Cornelis Roelandse and Alex Rosemeier. Van der Nat is by far the best known besides Vreedenburgh. Van der Nat elaborated on the principles of 19th-century impressionism from The Hague. His landscapes (around Chaam and Garderen) and farm interiors are spontaneous, atmospheric impressions. He also made modest still lifes and many animal portraits. In his time, Van der Nat mainly had a reputation as an animal painter. Unlike the painters of the Hague School who depicted animals as decoration of landscapes, Van der Nat depicted them as creatures with their own character. His drawings were popular and were sold as far afield as England, where he also had a solo exhibition. In 1917, the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague was the first museum to purchase a painting, followed a year later by De Lakenhal. Kröller-Müller now also has work by him. He was a member of 'Arti et Amicitiae' in Amsterdam and taught Chris le Roy, Bram Segaar, Cor van Sillevoldt and Leendert van der Vlist.
1906-houtskool op papier-Interieur schapenschuur-Kroller Muller 
Meisje met bloemkool-1906-Lakenhal
Willem van der Nat-1920-Ramskop-Lakenhal
Willem van der Nat-1921-Zelfportret-Lakenhal
1923-Geitjes-Lakenhal
Besneeuwd Akker-Rijksmuseum.