Career
He was a pupil in Antwerp of the important genre and history painter Theodoor Rombouts under whom he started to study from 1632. He was captain of the schutterij and this may be a reason why he painted military scenes. Van Eyck was godfather to at least one of van Thielen"s nine children.
January Carel was a student of January Erasmus Quellinus and spent time in Italy.