The first extant record of his life comes from the court of John of Bavaria at The Hague where, between 1422 and 1424, payments were made to "Meyster Jan den malre" (Master Jan the painter) who was then a court painter with the rank of valet de chambre, with at first one and then two assistants.
Po njem so poimenovali vas Totleben v Bolgariji, v spomin na njegovo odločilno vlogo pri obleganju Plevne leta 1877.