Objects of the present invention are the provision of an active energy ray curable composition which can be cured in the absence of a photoinitiator, and which can also be cured at practical light intensities and irradiating energy, and a method for curing the said curable composition; in which the composition comprises a maleimide derivative represented by formula (1): wherein m and n each represent an integer of 1 to 5, and the total of m and n is 6 or smaller, R11 and R12 each represent a linking group selected from the group consisting of {circle around (1)} an alkylene group, {circle around (2)} an alicyclic group, {circle around (3)} an arylalkylene group, and {circle around (4)} a cycloalkylalkyene group, G1 and G2 each represent an ester linkage selected from the group consisting of —COO— and —OCO—, R2 represents a linking chain having an average molecular weight of 100 to 100,000 selected from the group consisting of (A) a (poly)ether linking chain and (B) a (poly)ester linking chain, in which at least one organic group selected from the group consisting of {circle around (1)} a straight chain alkylene group, {circle around (2)} a branched alkylene group, {circle around (3)} an alkylene group having a hydroxyl group, {circle around (4)} an alicyclic group, {circle around (5)} an aryl group, and {circle around (6)} an arylalkylene group is connected via at least one linkage selected from the group consisting of (a) an ether linkage and (b) an ester linkage.