born July 15, 1573, Smithfield, London, Eng.
died June 21, 1652, London
British painter, architect, and designer.
The son of a clothworker, he studied painting in Italy and attracted the patronage of the king of Denmark, for whom he apparently designed two palaces before returning to England. Beginning in 1605, he designed the scenes and costumes for masques by Covent Garden (1630), London's first square, Jones is credited with the introduction of town planning in England.