Like his father Isaac, Casper Commelin was a historian. He is shown here with a design sketch of the new Town Hall. Shortly after his death in 1693 the first part of Commelin's 'Description of Amsterdam' was published, an improved and expanded version of the 1665 book by Tobias van Domselaer, to which his father had contributed. Casper Commelin was also a publisher and bookseller. In 1686 he took over publishing the Amsterdamsche Courant. In 1690 he published the book on shipbuilding by Nicolaas Witsen, titled 'De Aeloude en hedendaagsche scheepsbouw en bestier'. The portrait on which this copy is based (in the Rijksmuseum) shows Commelin holding his book rather than the drawing shown here.