Jan Korthals was born in Amsterdam in 1916, he died in 1973. He lived and worked in Amsterdam and Antwerp. Korthals created paintings and water colours of cityscapes in an impressionist style. He was apprenticed to Jos Rovers at the art academy in Antwerp. He also was a pupil of his uncle who was also a painter. He taught A.W. Schreuder and Korthals was a member of St. Lucas in Amsterdam. He exhibited in the Netherlands and abroad among others, Amsterdam, Laren and Geneva (Switzerland).