Frans Francken II is known for his small-scale paintings of biblical, historical, mythological and genre subjects. The Four Fathers of the Church depicts an imaginary gathering of Saints Gregory, Jerome, Augustine and Ambrose. Saint Augustine, Saint Ambrose and Saint Jerome did know each other, but Saint Gregory lived in a different century. Each of the four men made a significant contribution, both liturgical and practical, to the future of the Catholic Church, and are thus known as the four Latin fathers or doctors of the church. Francken paints them with specific attributes to distinguish them. Gregory is shown in the papal tiara, Jerome in the crimson of the cardinal, Augustine wearing a bishop’s mitre, and Ambrose with a beehive, which refers to a legend that had prophesized his future eloquence.