details about the life of dominicus smout are scarce and his birth and death dates are unknown. it is assumed that he was born in antwerp as the oldest child of the painter and art dealer dominicus smout the elder and anna maria tijssens. his father had studied under artus wolffort and was a figure painter. his younger brother lucas smout the younger became a painter of coastal and country scenes while two of his sisters married painters. his mother was a member of the prominent tijssens or tyssens family of artists in antwerp, which included artists such as jan baptist tijssens the younger. his father died in 1674 and his mother in 1686. his sister clara catharina continued to operate the art and painting materials business of her parents.