[1] He was born in the Fundatiehuis while his father was curator at the Teylers Museum.
[1] He was a secret agent working on the "Zwitserse weg" during World War II and was decorated with the Ridder in de Orde van Oranje-Nassau, the Verzetsherdenkingkruis, and the Croix du combattant volontaire de la Résistance.
His brother Garrelt was awarded the Military William Order.
[3] He lived in the Fundatiehuis until he retired, when he moved to an adjoining house.
[3] He kept his workshop in the former astronomical laboratory in the garden, and in 1972 he became adjunct-curator of the art collection.