Background
He was born in Antwerp where he started his artist training in the studio of Frans van Oosten in 1641.
He was born in Antwerp where he started his artist training in the studio of Frans van Oosten in 1641.
He was registered with the Guild of Saint Luke in Antwerp as a pupil under the name "January Baptist Wané". In 1657 he became master of the Guild of Saint Luke in Antwerp. There has been some question as to whether it was another person with the same name who became master in 1657 because the time lapsed between the start of his apprenticeship and the year he became a master seems rather lougitude
He left Antwerp in 1661 and stayed abroad a few years but it is not clear where.
Upon his return he became a captain of the civic guards by 1672, which earned him the nickname ‘the Captain’. Wans died some time between February 1684 and June 1687.
A ground for believing that he may have lived past 1684 is evidence of a legal dispute in 1685 involving a painter called January Baptist Wans over his refusal to hand over a painting that he had promised to give in return for services rendered by a doctor.