One of the most fascinating artists of his time, Hoogstraten was a painter of history, genre and portraits as well as a poet, playwright and author of a tract on the art of painting, entitled The Man Inleyding tot de Hooge Schoole der Schilderkonst (Introduction to the Advanced School of the Art of Painting), Rotterdam, 1678, in which some of his own and Rembrandt's theories are presented.

Hoogstraten received his first training from his father, Dirck van Hoogstraten, and then entered Rembrandt's studio shortly after 1640, and remained with the master until 1642. In 1651 he travelled to Vienna where he received royal patronage. At the court of Ferdinand III he presented two paintings and was given a golden chain and a medallion in return.

In 1652 he was in Rome and probably returned to Vienna in the same year where he seems to hve worked until 1653. Hoogstraten's work in the 1640's and early 1650's is still close to Rembrandt's, but afterwards his interest becomes more concerned with architecture, space and perspective.