FRANCKEN. Eleven painters of this family cultivated their art in Antwerp during the 16th and 17th centuries. Several of these were related to each other, whilst many bore the same Chris tian name in succession. Hence unavoidable confusion in the subsequent classification of paintings not widely differing in style or execution. When Franz Francken the first found a rival in Franz Francken the second, he described himself as the "elder," in contradistinction to his son, who signed himself the "younger." But when Franz the second was threatened with competition from Franz the third, he took the name of "the elder," whilst Franz the third adopted that of Franz "the younger." It is possible, though not by any means easy, to sift the works of these artists. The eldest of the Franckens, Nicholas of Herenthals, died at Ant werp in 1596, but none of his works have survived.
Jerom Francken, the eldest son, after leaving his father's house, studied under Franz Floris. In 1566 he was one of the masters employed to decorate the palace of Fontainebleau, and in he obtained the appointment of court painter from Henry III., who had just returned from Poland and visited Titian at Venice. In 1603, when Van Mander wrote his biography of Flemish artists, Jerom Francken was still in Paris. Among his earliest works we should distinguish a "Nativity" in the Dresden museum, executed in co-operation with Franz Floris. Another of his important pieces is the "Abdication of Charles V." in the Amsterdam museum. Equally interesting is a "Portrait of a Falconer," dated 1558, in the Brunswick gallery.
Franz, the second son of Nicholas of Herenthals, is to be kept in memory as Franz Francken the first. He was born about matriculated at Antwerp in 1567, and died there in 1616. He, too, studied under Floris. Several of his pictures are in the museum of Antwerp; one dated 1597 in the Dresden museum represents "Christ on the Road to Golgotha," and is signed by him as D. o (Den ouden) F. Franck.
Ambrose, the third son of Nicholas of Herenthals, has be queathed to us more specimens of his skill than Jerom or Franz the first. He first started as a partner with Jerom at Fontaine bleau, then he returned to Antwerp, where he passed for his gild in 1573, and he lived at Antwerp till 1618. His best works are the "Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes" and the "Martyrdom of St. Crispin," both in the Antwerp museum.
Franz Francken the first trained three sons to his profession, the eldest of whom, though he practised as a master of gild at Antwerp from 1600 to 161o, left no visible trace of his labours behind. Jerom the second took service with his uncle Ambrose. He was born in 1578, passed for his gild in 1607, and in 162o pro duced that curious picture of "Horatius Codes defending the Sublician Bridge" in the Antwerp museum.
The third son of Franz Francken the first is Franz Francken the second, who signed himself in pictures till 1616 "the younger," from 163o till his death "the elder" F. Francken.
Franz Francken the second was born in 1581. In 1605 he entered the gild, of which he subsequently became the president, and in 1642 he died. His earliest composition is the "Crucifixion" in the Belvedere at Vienna, dated 1606. His latest compositions as "the younger" F. Francken are the "Adoration of the Virgin" (1616) in the gallery of Amsterdam, and the "Woman taken in Adultery" (1628) in Dresden. From 1616 to 163o many of his pieces are signed F. Francken ; then come the "Seven Works of Charity" (163o) at Munich, signed "the elder F. F.," the "Prodi gal Son" (1633) at the Louvre.
F. Francken the third, the last of his name who deserves to be recorded, passed in the Antwerp gild in 1639 and died at Antwerp in 1667. His practice was chiefly confined to adding figures to the architectural or landscape pieces of other artists. He often introduced the figures into the works of Pieter Neefs the younger. In a "Moses striking the Rock," dated 1654, of the Augsburg gal lery, this last of the Franckens signs D. o (Den ouden) F. Franck.