Van der Haar was born in Avenhorn (North Holland), the son of a doctor. After secondary school he was sent by his parents to live with his uncle in Enschede, to be trained in his uncle's office to become a notary public. However, van der Haar showed a talent for painting and after some lessons from the Enschede painter Bruna. In1889 he went to study at Düsseldort Academy. In 1893 he returned to the Netherlands and went to live in The Hague. The Hague school of painters was to have a lasting influence on him, van der Haar being particular attracted to the work of Jozef Israels.

His main subjects are landscape, figure studies and genre. His palette is a dark and romantic one though a works done in southern countries convey a brighter atmosphere.

In 1894 Van der Haar returned to Enschede and Haaksbergen to paint woodscapes and studies of farmers In 1897 he moved to Utrecht, where in 1898 he married Margarethe Bresina. They had three children, one them the painter Dolf van der Haar.

In 1903 the Van der Haar family went to live in Bilthoven (Villa Margarethe). Afterwards van der Haar and worked at Kortenhoef (ca. 1915), Blaricum (1916) and Laren. In 1920 he had a studio in Volendam where he painted many studies of figure and views of the village and harbour.

Between 1920 and 1930 the van der Haar family lived in Berlin. During this period Van der Haar travelled in Poland, ltaly and Switzerland.

In 1933 he and his wife settled in Veere, where he made many paintings of the town and the church. In 1937 van der Haar moved to Wassenaar. He died in 1938.

Literature:

de Boer; Martin, Het naakt in de Moderne Hollandse Kunst.

Henri van Calker, Schilders van Holland.

van Hall, Repertorium.

Huib Luns, Holland schildert.

Alb. Plasschaert, XIXe Hollandse Schilderkunst.

P. Scheen, Lexicon.

Thieme Becker, Lexicon.

Exhibitions:

1894 Rotterdam, , 'Levende Meesters".

1896 ' s-Gravenhage, "Levende Meesters".

1896 's-Gravenhage, Kunstkring.

1898 München, Glaspalast.

1899 Amsterdam, ''Levende Meesters" .

1903 Amsterdam, "Levende Meesters".

(ca. 1903) Bilthoven, Villa Margarethe.

1912 Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum, "Leden Haagsche Kunstkring".

1912 Utrecht, Kunstlietde.

1912 Dordrecht, Pictura.

1912 Amsterdam, Arti et Amicitae.

1918 Hilversum, Kunstzaal Reddingius.

1920 Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum, "Vereniging St. Lucas".

1966 Haaksbergen Kunstkring, Exhibition of paintings done in Enschede and surroundings. On this occasion Van der Haar's son the painter Dolf van der Haar donated the painting "Verkooping op een boerenerf” (auction-sale in a farmhouse) to the Haaksbergen community. This large painting (3 X 3 m.), done at Haaksbergen in 1896, had won Van der Haar a gold medal awarded by Queen Wilhelmina.