Ernst Stuven (c. 1657–1712)

• Was a German Baroque flower painter.

• According to Houbraken, he was born in Hamburg.

• He was initially trained by Georg Hainz.

• At the age of eighteen he moved to Amsterdam.

• There he became a pupil of Johannes Voorhout, who he knew from Hamburg.

• Being more interested in flower painting, he soon joined the studio of Willem van Aelst.

• After a period with him, he switched to Abraham Mignon.

• Stuven's pupils according to the RKD were Herman van der Mijn, J.W. Windtraken, and Willem Grasdorp.

• Houbraken wrote five pages about the abusive relationship in 1697 between Willem Grasdorp and Ernst Stuven.

• When Grasdorp tried to escape, Stuven prevented this and when Grasdorp's mother called upon the authorities, Stuven was so aggressive to them that he was sentenced for 12 years in the Rasphuis in Amsterdam.

• He was allowed out for good conduct after half of that time, and was taken in by Romeyn de Hooghe in Haarlem.

• He later moved to Rotterdam, where he later died.

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