Bartholomeus Cromhout was a member of a wealthy family that owned 3 adjoining houses on the Herengracht, nrs. 366, 368 and 370. Bartholomeus lived in nr. 370, the smallest house. These still exist today. Bartholomeus owned one of the largest libraries in the city. Mathijs Naiveu was a so-called “fijnschilder” who from 1667-69 studied with Gerrit Dou, founder of the fijnschilder school.