Background
Francken was born in Herentals as the son of Nicholas Francken, an obscure painter from Herentals. His father later settled in Antwerp and was likely his first teacher.
Francken was born in Herentals as the son of Nicholas Francken, an obscure painter from Herentals. His father later settled in Antwerp and was likely his first teacher.
He is mainly known for his large altarpieces and allegorical paintings. He became a master of the Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke in 1567 and was its deacon in 1587. The early biographer Karel van Mander stated that Frans Francken the Elder was a pupil of the leading Antwerp Mannerist painter Frans Floris.
Frans Francken married Elisabeth Mertens.
Liedtke, Walter A. (1984). Flemish paintings in the Metropolitan Museum of Artist
New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Artist (see index).
Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke]
He was a member of the Francken dynasty of painters that played an important role in the Antwerp art scene in the 17th century.