J. van (Jacob) Lennep

Born in Amsterdam in 1802, Jacob van Lennep became one of the best-known Dutch authors of his time. He was active in several fields at once: alongside his literary work, he also trained and worked in law and took part in public life.

He is especially remembered for his historical fiction and other romantic works, which brought the Dutch past to life for a broad readership. Among his best-known novels is Ferdinand Huyck, and his writing helped shape the popularity of the historical novel in Dutch literature.

Van Lennep died in 1868. He remains an important figure in 19th-century Dutch letters, both for the range of his work and for the lasting place his stories hold in the literary history of the Netherlands.