Charles David Cuttler was born April 8, 1913, in Cleveland, Ohio. He received his B.F.A. degree in 1935 and M.A. in 1937, both from Ohio State University. In 1952 he received his Ph.D. from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University.

Cuttler was an assistant art instructor at Ohio State University from 1935 to 1937. During the summer in 1938 he was an instructor in art history at the University of Colorado. He worked in Detroit as an engineering designer from 1940 to 1947. He served as assistant professor of art at Michigan State University from 1947 to 1957. Dr. Cuttler was assistant professor of art history at Indiana University during the summer in 1952 and 1953.

He joined the faculty of the State University of Iowa in 1957 as associate professor of art history and became full professor in 1965. He was a co-founder of the Midwest Art History Society in 1973. He was chairman of the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC) Art History subcommittee from 1968 through 1977. He was appointed as consultant to the National Endowment for the Humanities in November 1973 through 1980. Dr. Cuttler retired in 1983.

Charles D. Cuttler married Mary Cecilia Fuller in December 1941 and had one daughter, Judith Ann.