His mother, Alžběta Hrbková, was Czech from a peasant family in the south Bohemian village of Přestanice (now part of Hlavňovice).

[1] Brandl was famous in his time but – due to isolation behind the Iron Curtain – rather forgotten until recently.

Brandl employed strong chiaroscuro, areas of heavy impasto and very plastic as well as dramatic figures.

According to the Grove Dictionary of Art and other sources, Brandl was apprenticed around 1683–1688 to Kristián Schröder (1655–1702).

The National Gallery in Prague, has an entire hall devoted to the artist's works, including "Bust of an Apostle" from some time before 1725.