Jan Nachenius initially painted, drew and etched tranquil (Veluwe) landscapes, from the 1950s onwards finely detailed still lifes and flowers. Under the influence of his teacher G.W. Dijsselhof Nachenius signed his work with a monogram, while he always provided his graphics and drawings with the signature J.C. Nachenius in pencil. In his etchings one often also finds the monogram hidden in the image. Nachenius exhibited at art dealership Fetter in Amsterdam and was a member of the St. Lucas artists' association in Amsterdam. During the Second World War, the artist was a member of the NSB and was editor of several propagandistic magazines.