Background
Rotius was born in Medemblik, North Holland.
Rotius was born in Medemblik, North Holland.
He was baptized ‘Albert Jansz. According to Houbraken, he heard that his portraits were as good as Bartholomeus van der Helst, but he noted that he had been unable to make this judgement with his own eyes and doubted the veracity of this statement himself. He said that his schuttersstukken were well known, being painted in Hoorn in 1651, "52, and "55, when he was aged 40.
This would place his birthdate from between 1612 and 1615, which would fit with his statement that he had been a pupil of Pieter Lastman, who died in 1633.
If he was born in 1624, then he was only 9 years old when Lastman died, which didn"t give him much time to learn from him. He died in Hoorn a few days later, aged 42, and was buried in the Grote Kerk in Hoorn.
Houbraken claimed that Jacob was a pupil of January Davidsz. de Heem and was quite successful as a flower painter, but died of "melancholy" at the age of 50. Rotius"s schutterstukken were painted quite soon after similar paintings in Amsterdam were completed by van der Helst and Govert Flink.
Hoorn competed with Amsterdam at that time as a seaport.
Alkmaar Guild of Saint Luke]
In the same year he became a member of the Alkmaar Guild of Saint Luke.
