Famous People Born In 1620

Miklós Zrínyi was an able military leader of Hungary, who was determined to drive the Turks out of his country. He also authored Hungary’s first epic poem, The Peril of Sziget. Unfortunately, he was killed by a wild boar during a hunting expedition, though rumors suggest he was assassinated.

Avvakum Petrovich, or Awakum, was a Russian priest and a leader of Old Believers. He drifted away from the Russian Orthodox church and supported the Old Rite, bringing in massive reforms. His memoir and letters have made him a pioneering figure of modern Russian literature, too.

Pierre Puget was a French Baroque architect, painter, sculptor, and engineer. His sculptures expressed drama, pathos, and emotion, making them unique and setting them apart from the academic and classical sculptures of French classicism. Pierre Puget is credited with helping Pietro da Cortona paint the ceilings of the Palazzo Pitti at Florence and the Palazzo Barberini in Rome.

Jean Picard was a 17th-century French astronomer. He is known for being the first person to measure the size of the Earth to a reasonable degree of accuracy. He was also the first to attach a telescope with crosswires to a quadrant. He is credited with developing the standard method for measuring the right ascension of a celestial object. 

Gustaf Bonde was a Swedish statesman who served as Lord High Treasurer of Sweden from 1660 to 1667. He also served as the Governor of Södermanland County from 1648 to 1653. Unlike his contemporaries, Gustaf Bonde was an ardent advocate of a pacifist policy.

Japanese painter Kusumi Morikage of the Edo-period was the official painter of Maeda clan. His works reflected his feelings and sympathy for farmers and the poor people of the time. His daughter, Kiyohara Yukinobu, was a leading painter identified with the Kanō school. Notable paintings of Morikage include Family Enjoying the Evening Cool and Falconry Folding Screens.

The first star in the history of opera, Italian singer and actor Anna Renzi soared to fame in the 17th century. After gaining attention with her Venetian debut as Deidamia in Sacrati’s La finta pazza, she also featured in poet and intellectual Giulio Strozzi’s writings. She was the highest-paid singer of her time.

Aelbert Cuyp was one of the most important Dutch Golden Age painters renowned for painting beautiful landscapes. Also known for his skills as a draftsman, Aelbert Cuyp is best remembered for his most famous work, River Landscape.