He produced paintings for wealthy burghers and church leaders, published woodcuts on religious themes for pilgrims and sold series of prints to the middle classes. He catered to different sections of the market. Some of his most impressive works include his ceiling painting for the Great or St Laurens’s church in Alkmaar and the Nativity at Museo di Capodimonte in Naples. These commissions brought him fame and an ample income.
Jacob was the first artist in Amsterdam to sign work with a signature. This enabled his audience to distinguish his work from that of other painters and print-makers. It was a recognisable logo, a symbol guaranteeing that the product came from the famous Kalverstraat workshop. Eventually, it developed into a corporate brand. Jacob’s brother and (grand) sons used the symbol too. Buyers could immediately see that the product was made by a member of the Van Oostsanen family!