The nickname Broodzak, or bread bag, was adopted by Cornelis Schut during his time in Rome as a founding member of the Bentvueghels artist association. This Flemish painter and engraver, who navigated the shifting artistic currents of the seventeenth century, established a reputation as a specialist in religious and mythological subjects across the Habsburg Netherlands and Italy.
Early Career and Italian Influence
Born in Antwerp in 1597, Schut became a master of the Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke by 1618. Soon after, he traveled to Italy, where he engaged with prestigious patrons such as Vincenzo Giustiniani and Pietro Pescatore. In Frascati, he worked on frescoes at the Casino Pescatore alongside Tyman Arentsz. Cracht. His period in Rome and Florence exposed him to the High Baroque style, incorporating elements from artists like Pietro da Cortona and Guido Reni. During this time, he was briefly imprisoned for the death of a fellow artist named Giusto before receiving aid from the Accademia di San Luca to secure his release in 1627.
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Upon returning to Antwerp by 1631, Schut settled into a career centered on ecclesiastical commissions. He married Catharina Gheenssins that October, and following her death, remarried Anastasia Scelliers. His artistic output flourished through his adaptation of the monumental Italian style to Flemish altarpieces, most notably the Assumption of Mary in Antwerp Cathedral. His contributions extended to large-scale collaborative projects, including the Royal Entry of the Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand in 1635, for which he produced over 100 etchings documenting the decorative programs in Ghent.
Stylistic Legacy and Teaching
Schut maintained a distinct artistic identity characterized by sharp light contrasts, extreme facial expressions, and dynamic foreshortening, often displaying affinities with the work of Federico Barocci. His 1643 victory in a competition against Thomas Willeboirts Bosschaert for the Martyrdom of St George altarpiece solidified his status within the Antwerp civil militia. Beyond his painting and tapestry design work, he served as a teacher for several artists, including Philippe Vleughels and Cornelis Schut III. He died in Antwerp in 1655 and was interred at the Saint Willibrord Church.
Fast facts
- Born: 1597, Antwerp
- Died: 29 April 1655, Antwerp
- Bentvueghels nickname: Broodzak
- Guild membership: Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke
- Known artistic training: Presumed pupil of Peter Paul Rubens
- Primary occupations: Painter, engraver, graphic artist, tapestry designer
- Key work: Assumption of Mary, Antwerp Cathedral
- Notable association: Bentvueghels
Questions readers ask
Was Cornelis Schut a pupil of Peter Paul Rubens?
While no definitive records of his training exist, 18th-century historian Jacob Campo Weyerman identified him as such, and it is widely assumed due to Rubens' exemption from registering pupils.
Where can Schut's grave be found today?
He is buried in the Saint Willibrord Church in Antwerp, where his original grave and a marble cenotaph remain.
