Theodore Russel

Theodore Russel, born in London, was baptised at the Dutch Church, Austin Friars, on 9 October 1614.

He was the son of Nicasius Rousseel (or Russel), a goldsmith, of Bruges, jeweller to James I and Charles I, who settled in London about 1567, and on 21 April 1590 was married at the Dutch Church, Austin Friars, to his first wife, Jacomina Wils of Meessene; by her he had a family, including a son John, who is probably identical with a Jan Rossel or Russel resident at Mortlake from 1629 to 1645, and probably connected with the tapestry works there.

Nicasius married as his second wife, at the Dutch Church, on 27 November 1604, Clara Jansz, daughter of Cornelis and Johanna Jansz, and sister of Cornelis Jansz (Janssen or Jonson) van Ceulen, the famous portrait-painter; by her also he had a numerous family, to one of whom (Isaac, born in May 1616) the famous miniature-painter, Isaac Oliver, stood godfather, while to another (Nicasius, born in January 1618–19) Cornelis Janssen and Isaac Oliver's widow stood sponsors.

Several of his copies were in the Royal Collections, and among the nobility by whom he was patronised were the Earls of Essex and Holland.

[1] Russel resided in Blackfriars, married in January 1649, and died in 1689, leaving a family.