Paul Theodor van Brussel was born near Schoonhoven, Netherlands in 1754. His first teacher was the Haarlem painter Jan Augustini (1729–1773), a landscape painter who started his career working on pictures of flora for botanists.
Van Brussel worked for Augustini, making decorative paintings for the walls of wealthy patrons homes. He continued his career as a pupil under Hendrik Meyer of Haarlem who is best known for his meticulous draftsmanship of figured landscapes.
First employed in the manufacture of tapestry, Van Brussel afterwards devoted his attention entirely to nature, and became one of the best still life artists of his time. Van Brussel’s life was tragically cut short when he drowned while ice skating at the age of 41. This accident has meant that his works are rare but highly sought after by private collectors and institutions. His colourful and highly finished paintings feature in prominent collections throughout Europe including the collections of the National Gallery, London, and the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.