Brief Biography-Matthieu van Plattenberg was born in Antwerp in 1640. He was a pupil of Andries van Eertvelt who is regarded as the first Flemish marine artist. He travelled to Italy with Van Eertvelt and in Genoa he met Cornelis de Wael from Antwerp whom Eertvelt did work for, he studied with de Wael during his stay in Italy. He spent a long time in Florence with the artist Jan Asselijn who was known as “Crabbetje” or “little claw” amongst the Bentvueghels.
From Italy, he travelled to Paris where he studied under the artist Jacques Fouquier and found considerable success with both his paintings and engravings. In France, he signed some of his works Platte-Montagne or Montague. He became a founding member of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture in Paris where he spent the remainder of his life. He is noted primarily for his renditions of stormy seas and skies.