 De Coninck's stylistic development is unclear and it is difficult to date his paintings with any precision.It is possible that early in his career he painted fruit still lifes, since there is a record that in 1668 two fruit still lifes made by a 'Koninck' were exported to Vienna.De Coninck's teacher Pieter Boel was a pupil of Jan Fyt, the leading Flemish animal painter of the mid 17th century.