Jan Lievens (24 October 1607 – 4 June 1674) was a Dutch Golden Age painter who was associated with his close contemporary Rembrandt, a year older, in the early parts of their careers.

This attracted the attention of Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange, around 1620, who bought a life-size painting of a young man reading by the light of a turf-fire.

[1] According to the Amsterdams Historisch Museum, this piece survives and depicts Brinno raised on a shield with the Cananefates, after a similar painting by Otto van Veen in 1613.

Their competitive collaboration, represented in some two dozen paintings, drawings and etchings,[6] was intimate enough to cause difficulties in the attribution of works from this period.

During his time in England Lievens painted a portrait for Thomas Howard, 21st Earl of Arundel, and became influenced by the works of Anthony van Dyck.

After 1672, the "Rampjaar," Lievens had increasing financial difficulties and his family voided all claims of inheritance on his death due to his debts.