Early Life and Training in Amersfoort Jacob van Staverden was born in Amersfoort in 1656. His early years in the Netherlands provided the technical foundation for a career that would eventually shift toward the Italianate style. He remained active in Amersfoort until 1674, a period defined by rigorous instruction under Matthias Withoos. This training was not merely local; Withoos was a specialist in still life and cityscape painting w…