Petrus Josephus "Peter" van Kessel (born 25 December 1933) [1] is a Dutch historian. He spent his career at the Royal Netherlands Institute in Rome, ultimately becoming vice director.
Van Kessel was born in Batavia, Dutch East Indies. [1] He obtained a degree from the Radboud University Nijmegen in 1961. Van Kessel became an intern at the Royal Netherlands Institute in Rome in 1962. He obtained his PhD in 1963 with a thesis titled: "Duitse studenten in Padua rond 1600 en de controverse Rome-Venetië". [2] [3] Shortly afterwards he was appointed as secretary of the institute. [4] Van Kessel would work at the institute until 1994, ultimately becoming vice director. [2] [5]
He was elected a corresponding member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1977. [5]