Jan van Bylert was born in Utrecht in 1603 and was the son and pupil of his father, the glass painter, Herman van Bylert. Later he was apprenticed to Abraham Bloemaert and travelled to France and Italy, where he stayed with Gerard Honthorst in Rome, becoming a founding member of the Schildersbent (the group of Dutch painters in Rome). Upon his return to Utrecht in 1624, he married and in 1630 was admitted as a member of the Guild. Here he became a committee member in 1655 and served also a second time from 1666-1669.

Bylert was very a versatile painter showing great invention in his compositions. His early work shows a great deal of influence of Caravaggio. On his return to Utrecht he became a part of the 'Utrecht Caravaggisti' whose paintings displayed a particular debt to the art of Caravaggio both in the dramatic chiarascuro and composition. He produced a number of excellent portraits and small historical and mythological pictures.

Bartram de Fouchier, Abraham Willaerts, Ludolf de Jongh and Mathew Wytmans were all pupils of his at some time. One of Bylert's more important commissions was to produce several large cartoons for tapestries for the King of Denmark.

Museums where examples of the artist's work can be found include:

Amsterdam (Rijksmuseum), Durham (Bowes Museum), London (NG), Metz, Oslo, Pasadena (Norton Simon) and Sibiu (Brukenthal Museum)