A Life in Shadows and Light Joost van Geel lived a life that moved between the quiet commerce of Rotterdam and the broader artistic circles of Europe. Born in 1631, he was the son of a brandy distiller from Schiedam, yet his path led him far from the distillery to the easel. He was a man of varied pursuits, working as a vinegar merchant and a poet alongside his practice as a painter. His travels took him through Leiden, Germany, France…