Surprisingly, the painter J.J. van Mulken was a major general by profession, from 1868 to 1871 he was minister of war, then a member of the Council of State. Van Mulken learned to paint himself, and specialized in depicting landscapes. For example, Gelderland scenes are known by him, and he also painted in the vicinity of Kampen. Before settling in The Hague in 1862, Van Mulken lived in various cities, including Haarlem, Groningen and Nijmegen.