A Study of a Male Nude holding a Staff, half-length

Trained by his father and in the workshop of Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), the influence of Rubens and Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641) can be seen in Franchoys' religious and portrait production for ecclesiastical patrons in Tournai and Mechelen. He became dean of the Mechelen guild in 1663 and executed major church commissions, including works for St-Jean, Mechelen. His rare drawings, generally executed in black chalk (often oiled) on blue paper, were convincingly attributed by Martin Royalton-Kisch in 1988. Comparative sheets include one at the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (inv. RP-T-1884-A-300) and another in the Fondation Custodia, Paris (inv. 5214).