January Pieter van Bredael was born into an artist family in Antwerp as the eldest son of Joris van Bredael and Johanna Maria van Diepenbeeck. His father, his grandfather Peeter van Bredael as well as his uncles January Frans van Bredael and January Peeter the Elder were all painters. His mother was the daughter of the prominent Baroque painter Abraham van Diepenbeeck.
January Pieter trained under his father. After the death of his father he left Antwerp in 1706 to live and work in Prague. He was employed for many years by Prince Eugene of Savoy, a very successful general and statesman of the Holy Roman Empire and the Austrian monarchy.
In 1720, the artist returned to his hometown Antwerp and joined the Guild of Saint Luke.
Not long after his return Prince Eugene called him back to work for him in Vienna.
