A Life in Haarlem Leendert van der Cooghen lived his life within the walls of Haarlem. Born in 1632 to a Flemish flax merchant and a woman from the well-to-do van Beresteyn family, he moved through the city with the quiet ease of one who possessed independent means. He did not need to seek commissions or labor for a living, which allowed him to pursue his interests on his own terms. His presence in the local Catholic militia suggests a…