The Life and Origins of Jan van der Elburcht Jan van der Elburcht was an early Dutch painter whose life began in the town of Elburg. Born in 1500, his very name carries the imprint of his birthplace, a common way for people of that era to signal where they belonged. He would eventually spend his final years in Antwerp, but his roots remained tied to the landscape of his youth. In the circles of his time, he was often known by more personal nicknames. He was called cleen Hansken, which translates to little Hans. Others referred to him as der kleine Hans. These names suggest a sense of famili…