Pieter van Bredael was born in
Antwerp in 1629, and was baptised on 19 July 1629 as the son of Peter and Maria Pais. He reportedly joined the workshop of
David Ryckaert III on 20 January 1640 and studied there for four years. He undertook several travels abroad. It is known he travelled to Spain. Although there is no evidence for a stay in Italy, the inclusion in his landscapes of ruins of architecture from the environs of Rome points to a possible visit to Italy. Upon his return to Antwerp in 1648 he married Anna Maria Veldener, the daughter of the prominent sculptor Jenijn Veldener. Several of his grandchildren such as
Joseph van Bredael,
Jan Pieter van Bredael the Younger and
Jan Frans van Bredael were also painters. He died in Antwerp where he was buried on 9 March 1719. ==Work==