Background
He was the son of the Antwerp painter Anthoon van Mildert (d 1597) who had migrated to Königsberg. After the death of his father he went to Antwerp, where he became a master in the Guild of Saint Luke in 1610.
He was the son of the Antwerp painter Anthoon van Mildert (d 1597) who had migrated to Königsberg. After the death of his father he went to Antwerp, where he became a master in the Guild of Saint Luke in 1610.
His son Cornelis and his son-in-law Gerard van Opstal completed some of the works left unfinished at the time of his death.
He was probably the pupil of Willem van den Blocke, another Fleming who had settled in Königsberg. He possibly undertook a trip to Rome around 1608. lieutenant is believed that after 1620 he spent some time in Paris.
He became a citizen of Antwerp in 1628.
In Antwerp he became friends with Rubens who had a similar background as they were both Flemings who were born abroad and had returned to their home town. When in 1633 Rubens was elected dean of the Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke he was allowed to leave the actual administration in the hands of van Mildert.
His nickname "den Duyts", which means "the German", refers to the fact that he was born and raised in Königsberg, which was then part of Germany.
Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke.