Jan Torrentius
Jan van de Velde
Description
The sitter Jan Torrentius (1589-1644) was a painter in Amsterdam. He was known for his still lifes and obscene subject matter. In 1627, the year before this portrait was made, Torrentius was arrested, tried in court, and tortured for being the alleged head of the Rosicrucian sect in Holland. Condemned to death by burning, he was instead sentenced to twenty years in prison. He was freed in 1630 by the intervention of the English ambassador, who brought Torrentius to London. Upon his return to Amsterdam, Torrentius was again tried and this time died from the effects of torture.
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