Hugo de Groot

Hugo de Groot (1583-1645) was 48 when the Delft artist Van Miereveld painted his portrait in 1631. The internationally famous jurist Grotius, the Latin version of the name adopted by De Groot, had returned to the Dutch Republic in the autumn of 1631. After his spectacular escape in 1621 from Loevestein Castle where he had been serving a life sentence since 1619, he had fled to France. Back in the Republic he hoped to be able to continue his life unmolested. However, after half a year, arrest was immanent and once again De Groot fled. This painting is one of several copies of the portrait. The fate of the original is no longer known.