Frans Snyders (1579-1657)
Frans Snyders was baptized in Antwerp in November 1579. In 1593 he was apprenticed to Pieter Brueghel the Younger. He became close to Pieter's brother, Jan, who helped Snyders find patronage and may have encouraged him to specialise in still life and animal imagery. In 1602 Snyders was listed as master in the Guild of St Luke. He then travelled to Italy but was back in Antwerp in 1609. In 1611 Snyders married Margaretha de Vos, sister of the painters Cornelis and Paul. Like Jan Brueghel, he had a long-term working relationship with Rubens. His works were sought after by the Archdukes and Philip IV of Spain.
Click here to see two states of the portrait print