He was the son of Frans Francken II and Elisabeth Placquet and became a master in the Antwerp Guild of St. Luke in 1639.

[1] He was the teacher of Carstian Luyckx, and Jan Baptist Segaert.

[2] Frans Francken III is known for genre works and portraits, and painted staffage in the works of Pieter Neeffs I and, more frequently, his son Pieter Neeffs II.

While his figures generally follow his father's style, they are painted with less accuracy.

He was skilled at arranging his figures well in the composition and light.