Jelle Troelstra was the son of Pieter Jelles Troelstra (1860-1930), who in 1894 co-founded the Dutch socialist party. In 1918, his father proclaimed a socialist revolution in the Netherlands, which gained virtually no following. At that time, Troelstra was living abroad, travelling through much of Europe. He was active both as a musician and a painter, and to earn money taught “rhythmic gymnastics”, which he studied under Émile Jaques-Dalcroze in Genève. He was best known for his landscapes and portraits, and was also actively involved in various art movements. In 1945, he was elected as the chairman of the Visual Artists Union, and he also had a radio column on the arts.
Netherlands