Dutch draftsman, painter and sculptor, whose real name is Guillaume Cornelis van Beverloo, was born in Liege in 1922. During his studies in 1940 -1943 at the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts in Amsterdam he made friends with Karel Appel. They travelled together and participated in exhibitions. In Paris he met various artists including Paul Klee and Joan Miró.

In 1948 Corneille belonged to the co-founders of the artist group COBRA and was one of the principal illustrators of the same programmatic magazine. The works of the artists of this group were influenced by the impressions of the Second World War and the postwar period.

In 1950 Corneille finally settled in Paris together with Appel. The following years were marked by numerous trips to Central Africa, Asia and South America. Especially the trip to Cuba influenced his pictorial world, which focused from now on on the woman-bird-palm motif. Corneille was time and again inspired by the myths, beliefs and "primitive" art of different peoples.

Corneille is famous for his poetic world. Women, cats, birds and plants were recurring motifs in his works, which he painted in very intense colors. „I live with plants, with cats, I live with birds, and I live with the women - that's my world I render“.

In 1954 his works could be seen at the Biennale in Venice and five years later on the "documenta" in Kassel. Henceforth they were an integral part of well-known museums and private collections throughout the world. Corneille lived and worked in Paris until his death in September 2010.