Jan Zoetelief Tromp was born 13th December 1872 in Batavia in the Dutch East Indies. A painter of genre, landscapes and coastal scenes in oils and watercolour, Tromp was also a lithographer.
He enrolled at the Academy in The Hague in 1893 studying under Frederick Johannes Jansen (1856-1922) who stylistically, was to have a profound influence on Tromp’s work. In 1893-95 Tromp studied at the Academy in Amsterdam under the director Augustus Allebé (1838-1927).
Following his studies in Amsterdam, he returned to The Hague before moving to Blaricum, following which he lived in Katwijk on Zee from 1919-1928 whereupon he moved to Breteuil sur Itan in France where he died 26th September 1947.
Working in the style of the Hague School, Tromp was to have immediate success. His subject matter, scenes of rural life featuring children, animals and the Dutch landscape were of great appeal.