Samuel Brunner was born in the Moravian town Pohorelice (Pohorelice). He studied from 1874 to 1877 at the School of Applied Arts in Vienna with Michael Rieser and then from 1878 to 1883 at the Academy in Munich with Gyula Benczúr and Wilhelm von Lindenschmitt.

Until 1888 Brunner worked as a painter in Munich, then moved to Brno, where he gave painting lessons. First, he created history paintings, often with themes of the Old Testament. He also was very successful as a portrait painter, because he skillfully captured the personality of the sitter. Later he devoted himself mainly to landscapes and cityscapes of great detail and fine lighting.