Lucas Franchoys II (1616–1681)
• Was a Flemish Baroque painter from Mechelen.
• Franchoys first learned to paint from his father Lucas Franchoys the Elder.
• Just like his older brother Peter before him, he likely continued his training in Antwerp.
• The early biographer Cornelis de Bie mentions a period of training with Peter Paul Rubens.
• The first record of his paintings dates to 1649 when he was working on commissions for churches in Tournai.
• 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 married Suzanne Thérèse and the couple had 8 children, of whom Lucas Elias became a painter.
• He was the teacher of Sebastiaen van Aken.
• Franchoys' portraits depict his sitters in a calculated informality in the style van Dyck's portraits.
• He collaborated with many contemporary painters including Lucas Achtschellinck, Jacques d'Arthois, Gregoire Beerings, Wilhelm Schubert van Ehrenberg, Egide Smeyers and Frans Snyders.
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