schreuel was born in maastricht, the netherlands, on 14 june 1773. he joined the dutch military at a young age. he is recorded as painting by 1788 and eventually left the military to begin studying art, first in berlin then, in 1805, in dresden. he spent some time studying under josef grassi of the dresden academy and soon made a name for himself by painting portrait miniatures. one of his portraits, known from an oval engraving by c. bolt, was of frederick iv, duke of saxe-gotha-altenburg. schreuel would also copy works held at the gemäldegalerie alte meister in dresden. by 1840 he had been appointed a professor of painting by the king of saxony.