Cornelius, an excellent painter of small landscapes and figures, was born at Utrecht in 1586, and educated under Blommaert, whom he soon quitted to travel into Italy; and studied for a long time in Rome and Florence, where he formed a style entirely new, which, though preferable to the Flemish, is unlike any Italian, except in his having adorned his landscapes with ruins. There is a varnished smoothness and finishing in his pictures, that render them always pleasing, though simple and too nearly resembling one another. The Roman cardinals were charmed with the neatness of his works, as was also the great duke; but could not retain him. He returned to Utrecht, and pleased Rubens, who had several of his performances. King Charles I. invited him to London, where he generally painted the figures in Steenwyck's perspectives: but the king could not prevail on him to fix here; for after staying only four years, and being handsomely rewarded by his majesty for several pieces which he performed for him, he returned to Utrecht, and died there at the age of 74. His works are very scarce and valuable.