Frans Ykens

Frans Ykens (1601, Antwerp – 1693, Brussels) was a Flemish still life painter active in Antwerp and Brussels in the 17th century. He is mainly known for his flower pieces and fruit still lifes and also painted banquet pieces, pronkstillevens, garland paintings and larger game pieces.

Life Frans Ykens was baptized on 17 April 1601 in the St Walburga Church in Antwerp. His parents were Frans Ykens I and Johanna Nys. He commenced his artistic study at age 14 with his uncle Osias Beert, the husband of his father's sister. Beert was one of the earliest painters to specialize in still lifes. In 1615 he also studied under his Lucas Floquet the Elder, a history painter, who later became his father-in-law.

Ykens became in 1631 a master of the Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke. In 1635 he married the flower painter Catarina Ykens (I), who was the daughter of history painter Lucas Floquet I and the sister of three painters.

Ykens was successful and his works were very popular with collectors of his time. He painted for Archduke Leopold in Brussels. His works were collected by Eleanor of Austria, Queen of Poland who purchased his work through Antwerp art dealers Forchondt. He was also very appreciated by his colleagues as is demonstrated by the fact that Rubens owned six of his still lifes.

His success allowed him to acquire a sumptuous dwelling in central Antwerp. In 1665 he moved to Brussels, where he worked until his death. He painted mainly flower pieces, garland paintings and fruit still lifes. In addition, he also created a number of breakfast pieces, pronkstillevens and larger pieces with game and dead fish.

Garland paintings

Frans Ykens painted multiple devotional garland paintings. Garland paintings are a special type of still life developed in Antwerp by Jan Brueghel the Elder in collaboration with the Italian cardinal Federico Borromeo at the beginning of the 17th century. Other artists involved in the early development of the genre included Hendrick van Balen, Andries Daniels, Peter Paul Rubens and Daniel Seghers. The genre was initially connected to the visual imagery of the Counter-Reformation movement. It was further inspired by the cult of veneration and devotion to Mary prevalent at the Habsburg court (then the rulers over the Southern Netherlands) and in Antwerp generally.

Garland paintings typically show a flower garland around a devotional image, portrait or other religious symbol (such as the host). He probably also collaborated with Peter Paul Rubens. Ykens would paint the flowers and garlands while the other artists painted the remainder of the painting. Unlike other flower painters Frans Ykens would regularly paint the central theme in the garland painting himself.