Torrentius: Lost Master of the Dutch Golden Age

The extraordinary life of Johannes Torrentius reads like a Hollywood film

script.  He was the only artist in 17th century Holland to be tortured, tried and

imprisoned for heresy, before being sprung from jail by Charles I and brought

to England as a court painter. He was praised by his contemporaries as a

genius but only one of his paintings survives: a beautiful and enigmatic still-

life which was lost for nearly 300 years before resurfacing in surprising

circumstances. A detailed look at this masterpiece reveals some of the dark

secrets and mysteries surrounding this obscure but fascinating artist.

Rupert Dickens is an art historian based in south London with a special

interest in Dutch and Flemish 16th and 17th century painting. He works at the

Wallace Collection as a guide conducting public and private tours and

lecturing on aspects of the collection. Rupert is also a tour director for a

Cambridge-based company accompanying groups on art-themed tours to the

Netherlands, Belgium, France, Austria and Italy. He has lectured to large

audiences on subjects as diverse as the game of chess in art and Madame

de Pompadour’s artistic patronage in 18th century France. He studied art

history at Birkbeck College before undertaking a Masters in Dutch Golden

Age Studies at University College London. Before that Rupert had a 26-year

career as a BBC journalist ending as an editor in radio news.