Anthonie Verstraelen

The family originated in Weert but moved between 1584–1590 to Gorkum, presumably because of Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma's armies marching through the area.

We don't hear much from Anthonie Verstraelen, until 1635 when he married Catalijntje van Oosten from Antwerp.

In Amsterdam Antonie got into a dispute with the Sint Lucasgilde, for its laxness in allowing in too many non-citizen painters.

His widow remarried their guardian Emmanuel Jacobszoon van Hoogerheijm, an unknown Leiden 'fijnschilder'.

Three months later their first son became born, Jacob van Hogerheijm, who also became a forgotten painter.