Probably born deaf, Avercamp was taught by his mother to read and write and encouraged to paint. Living during the 'Little Ice Age', he soon started to explore frozen landscape paintings, infusing them with life, joy and fun. His scenes show crowds of people engaged in various activities: skating, sledding, and playing games. Different ages, religions, and social classes mix and enjoy the snow and ice all the same. Avercamp wasn't the only Dutch artist covering the seasons in the art, or focussing on winters, but his paintings cover the fun and community of people enjoying the elements.