Background
He first learned to paint from his father Lucas Franchoys the Elder in his native Mechelen.
He first learned to paint from his father Lucas Franchoys the Elder in his native Mechelen.
The early biographer Cornelis de Bie mentions a period of training with Peter Paul Rubens but there is no other evidence for this. The first record of his paintings dates to 1649 when he was working on commissions for churches in Tournai, where he lived for some years. The early biographer Cornelis de Bie states that Franchoys resided for a longer period in France but this may be due to confusion based on his residence in Tournai in the French-speaking part of the Southern Netherlands close to France.
He returned to Mechelen by 1654 and became master of the local Guild of Saint Luke the following year.
In 1663 he became the deacon of the Guild. In Mechelen he received many commissions from churches, monasteries and convents for altarpieces and other religious paintings.
He also painted portraits including that of his patron Archbishop Alphonse de Bergues.