Background
Hieronymus Francken I was born in Herentals as the son of Nicolaes Francken, a painter from Herentals. His father later settled in Antwerp and was likely his first teacher.
Hieronymus Francken I was born in Herentals as the son of Nicolaes Francken, a painter from Herentals. His father later settled in Antwerp and was likely his first teacher.
According to Karel van Mander, who referred to him three times using three different names, id est (that is) Ieroon Francken van Herenthals, Ieroon Vrancks, and Ieroon Franck, Francken was a pupil of Frans Floris. lieutenant is unclear whether he traveled to Italy after his training in Antwerp.
Such a trip is suggested by a work of his hand dated 1565 that depicts a scene from the Carnival of Venice (in the Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum in Aachen).
From 1566 to 1572 he was in France where he was one of the masters employed to decorate the Palace of Fontainebleau. In 1574 he is documented in Antwerp.
From 1578 until his death he lived in Paris and Fontainebleau, where he was appointed court painter to the French court in 1594.