Biography Caspar van Wittel (1653–1736) was a Dutch painter and draughtsman who had a long career in Rome, Papal States. He played a pivotal role in the development of the genre of topographical painting known as *veduta*, transforming it into a painterly specialism in Italian art. Born Jasper Adriaensz van Wittel in Amersfoort, he received his first training at the workshop of Thomas Jansz van Veenendaal and later with Matthias Withoos. Following Withoos’s influence, he joined the Bentvueghels association of Dutch artists working in Rome, adopting the nickname “Piktoors” or “Toorts van Amers…