Frans Snyders was born on November 11, 1579 in Antwerp, Spanish Netherlands (present-day Antwerp, Belgium). He was a son of Jan Snijders, the keeper of a wine inn, frequented by artists, and Maria Gijsbrechts. Also, the painter had five siblings.
In 1593, Frans studied art under the guidance of Pieter Brueghel the Younger and afterwards he received instruction from Hendrick van Balen, who was known as the first master of Anthony van Dyck.
In 1602, as a result of Snyders’s talent and training, he became a master of the Guild of Saint Luke in Antwerp. Between 1608-1609, the painter lived in Rome, then in Milan, where he was patronized by Federico Cardinal Borromeo, to whom Frans was introduced by Jan Brueghel the Elder.
Approximately in 1610, Snyders came back to Antwerp, where he became friends with Peter Paul Rubens and began professional collaboration with him. Later in his lifetime, Frans joined the Guild of Romanists — a confraternity of humanists, artists, and art lovers, who traveled to Rome — and served as a dean of that society in 1628.
During the period from 1636 till 1638, Snyders assisted Rubens in a large commission for decorations for the hunting pavilion Torre de la Parada of Philip IV of Spain. The two artists also collaborated on decorations for the Royal Alcazar of Madrid and the royal Buen Retiro Palace in Madrid. In 1639, Rubens and Snyders worked together on additional 18 paintings for the hunting pavilion.
In his later years, Snyders was appointed a principal painter to Albert VII, archduke of Austria and sovereign prince of the Low Countries, for whom he executed some of his finest works. One of these, namely "Stag Hunt", was presented to Philip III of Spain, who commissioned the artist to paint several subjects of the chase.
Frans Snyders gained prominence for his skill in the realistic portrayal of animals. His best-known works include "Wild Boar Hunt", "Still Life with a Swan", "Flowers, Fruits and Vegetables", "Still Life with Dead Game, Fruits and Vegetables in a Market" and others.
Today, he is also considered to be one of the most important realist artists and one of the greatest exponents of still life in the history of art.
The painter's works are kept in the collections of different museums, including the Prado Museum in Madrid, the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum in Cologne, the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg and others.
Fruit seller
Ceres with two nymphs
Christ and John the Baptist as children and two angels
Fish market
Large still life with a lady and parrot
Hounds Bringing down a Boar
Grapes, Peaches and Quinces in a Niche
Concert Of Birds
Fruit and Vegetable Market
Still Life with Fruit, Dead Game, Vegetables, a Live Monkey, Squirrel and Cat
Flowers, Fruits and Vegetables
Venison dealers
Still Life of Fruit in a Basket
The Fish Market
The Pantry
Still Life
Cymon and Iphigenia
Fish market
Group of Birds Perched on Branches
The Bird's Concert
Sable of the Fox and the Heron
The Fishmonger
The Wild Boar Hunt
Still Life With A Basket Of Fruit
Still Life
Fish-shop
Dogs fighting
Three Monkeys Stealing Fruit
Fish Shop
Kitchen Still Life
Still-Life with a Dog and Her Puppies
A Fruit Stall
Still Life With Dead Game Fruits And Vegetables In A market
Still Life
Hunting still life
Grapes in a basket and roses in a vase
Cook in the Larder
Philomenes Recognized by the Old Woman
Greyhound Catching a Young Wild Boar
Still Life with Crab, Poultry, and Fruit
Wild Boar Hunt
Game Stall
Vegetable Still Life
Pythagoras advocating vegetarianism
Still Life of Game and Shellfish
Cook With Food
Concert of Birds
A Fruit Stall
A Monkey Among Fruit
A Banquet Piece
Return from the Hunt
Still Life with Fruit Basket and Game
Deer hunting
Still Life with dead hares and birds, armchair, hounds, hunting gun
Still Life
Fruits in a Bowl on a Red Tablecloth
Fox and cat
Head of Medusa
Frans was a member of the Guild of Romanists.
In 1611, Frans married Margareta de Vos, who was a sister of Cornelis de Vos and Paul de Vos, two leading painters in Antwerp. Their marriage produced no children. In 1647, Frans became a widower.
