(b Antwerp, bapt 6 May 1581; d Antwerp, 6 May 1642). Painter, son of (2) Frans Francken I. Of all the members of the Francken family, Frans II is the most important and still the most widely known. There are paintings by him in all large public collections in Europe. Besides altarpieces and painted furniture panels, he produced mainly small cabinet pictures with historical, mythological or allegorical themes. Frans II’s rank as an artist is not so much derived from his extensive output as from his innovative subject-matter: his depictions of luxuriously decorated Kunstkammern and art galleries (see CABINET PICTURE, §2; see also FRAME, fig. 56) influenced Jan Breughel (i), Rubens and David Teniers (ii), while his early paintings of ‘monkeys’ kitchens’ (allegorical scenes of human vice, such as smoking and gluttony, enacted by monkeys) set the direction for Jan van Kessel and Teniers.

Part of the Francken family

• Francken, Frans, II (1581-1642)
  • Francken
  • Francken: (6) Frans Francken III
  • Verhaecht , Tobias
  • assistants
    • Baellieur, Cornelis de
  • attributions
    • Francken: (4) Hieronymus Francken II
  • collaboration
    • Architectural pictures, §2(ii): c 1550–c 1700: Flemish artists
    • Bruegel: (3) Jan Breughel I, §1: Life
    • Bassen, Bartholomeus Cornelisz. van
      • Bassen, Bartholomeus van
    • Breughel, Jan, I (1568-1625)
      • Bruegel: (3) Jan Breughel I, §3: Workshop and collaboration
      • Cabinet picture, §1: Pictures for collections
      • Frame, §V, 2: The Netherlands and Belgium: Renaissance
    • Coques, Gonzales
      • Coques, Gonzales
    • Jordaens, Hans, III (c. 1595-d 1643)
      • Jordaens, Hans, III
    • Momper, Josse de, II (1564-1635)
      • Momper, de: (1) Josse de Momper II
    • Neefs (family)
      • Neefs
    • Vrancx, Sebastiaen
      • Vrancx, Sebastiaen, §2: Mature works, from c 1611
  • patrons and collectors
    • Belgium, §XII, 3: Patronage, 17th century
    • Cabinet picture, §2: Pictures of collections
    • Catalogue, §2: Collection catalogues
    • Orange Nassau: (7) William IV, Stadholder and Prince of Orange
    • Rockox, Nicolaas
    • Vasa, House of: (4) John II, King of Poland
  • works
    • Allegory of art, §3: Kunstkammern
    • Belgium, §III, 3(ii)(a): Painting, c 1600–c 1700
    • Display of art, §III, 2(iv): Sculpture, c 1500–c 1700
    • Francken: (5) Frans Francken II, §1: Early career, before c 1620
    • Francken: (5) Frans Francken II, §2: Mature career, c 1620 and after
    • Musical instruments, §1(ii)(a): Western, 16th century to mid-20th: Keyboard instruments