SCHUT, Cornelis III

Flemish painter, He was the pupil of Cornelis Schut II (active 1624-1686), the cousin of Cornelis Schut I. He was active in Seville, Spain during his entire career. He was one of the leading Flemish painters working at that time in Seville and he was very close in style to Murillo.

He travelled to Seville with his father who was employed by the Spanish king as an engineer. He is first documented in Seville in 1653 and the next year he was admitted to the local painters’ guild. He moved in the circle of the Flemish sculptor José de Arce (died 1666) and married the sister of the wife of de Arce. The couple had two daughters.

In 1655 he set up his workshop which completed commissions for his brother-in-law de Arce to polychrome his sculptures. He worked in many genres, including history paintings, portraits and still-lifes. The majority of his work can be found in Seville with some works in Cádiz and other locations in Spain. Most of his dated works were made in the 1660s.

Schut was one of the founders of the Academy of Fine Arts of Seville in 1660 where he became a teacher of drawing. He was elected a president of the Academy in 1672.