Jacob van Staverden

Jacob van Staverden (Amersfoort, 1656 – Rome, (after) 1716) was a Dutch painter who emigrated to Rome where he formed part of the group of genre painters known as the Bamboccianti.

Life Details about his life are scarce. He trained probably until 1672 in Amersfoort under the still life and cityscape painter Matthias Withoos, who had previously lived and worked in Rome. He was active in Amersfoort until 1674, the year in which he left for Italy together with Caspar van Wittel, another pupil of Withoos. He is documented in Rome on 3 January 1675. Here he became a member of the Bentvueghels, an association of mainly Dutch and Flemish artists working in Rome. It was customary for the Bentvueghels to adopt an appealing nickname, the so-called 'bent name'. Jacob van Staverden was given the bent name Ijver (diligence).

Jacob van Staverden's name appears in various documents dated 1706, 1710 and 1712 and 1716 relating to the sale of assets to raise money. His profession is not mentioned in these records. The last record on the artist is dated 1716. It is not known when or where the artist died, although it is assumed he died in Rome. Van Gool mentions that van Staverden painted flower and fruit still lifes, but no known examples by his hand in this genre are known today.