Cornelis van Cleve (1520–1567)

• Cornelis van Cleef or Cornelis van der Beke, nickname Sotte Cleve ('Mad Cleve').
• Was a Flemish Renaissance painter.
• He was born in Antwerp as the son of Anna Vijdt and Joos van Cleve.
• Starting his career in Antwerp in the workshop of his father Joos van Cleve.
• Cornelis was a proficient helper in the studio of his father, probably from 1535 to 1540.
• There are reports that in 1546 and 1547 he had difficulties making payments on his house.
• This is likely the reason why he sold the house in 1555 and emigrated to England.
• The artist went to England to seek the patronage of Philip II of Spain who had become the joint ruler of England after his marriage to Mary I of England.
• The madness was reportedly caused by a conflict between Cornelis and the prominent portrait painter Anthonis Mor.
• He had asked Mor to plead on his behalf with Philip II to give him commissions but Mor's intercession had been unsuccessful.
• This episode caused the artist to become insane.
• It is not clear when the artist died.
• Estimates place the time of his death between 1567 and 1614.
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