Francis, an eminent historical painter, was born at Antwerp in 1520. He followed the profession of a statuary till he was twenty years of age, when, preferring painting to sculpture, he entered the school of Lambert Lombard, and afterwards went to Italy, where he completed his studies. The great progress he made procured him much employment on his return, and his countrymen complimented him with the appellation of the Flemish Raffaelle. He died in 1570, aged fifty.