If you look on google it is clear that almost all of these paintings are dominated by massive skies and only small amount of detail placed on the actual landscape. Why is this?
I'm inclined to say it's because that's what a Dutch landscape looks like, especially in the west of the country where most of the famous painters lived. There are no mountains here, no hills to speak of and no majestic forests. Just flat land, water and a great deal of sky.