Artist: Etienne Delaune (French, c. 1519-1583)
Title: Goldsmith’s Workshop
Medium: Antique Engraving on laid paper after the 1576 original by master engraver Amand Durand (1831-1905).
Signature: Titled and Dated in the plate.
Dimensions: Image Size 4 5/8 x 5 7/8 inches.
Framed Dimensions: Approximately 14 x 15 inches.
Framing: This piece has been professionally matted and framed using all new materials.
Étienne Delaune, Delaulne, or De Laune, a French engraver, was born in Paris, or more probably at Orléans, in 1518. He commenced bis career as an engraver of medals, and is said to have been helped by Benvenuto Cellini, who was at that time living in Paris. He afterwards engraved many prints after Raphael, and the Italian masters of Fontainebleau, and still more after the designs of his son Jean, with whom he passed the greater part of his life at Strassburg. His style was formed upon that of the Little Masters of Germany. He died at Strassburg in 1595. Parade Armour of Henry II of France, c 1555, Metropolitan Museum of Art Étienne Delaune was one of the most famous designers of goldsmith’s work of his time. There are six of his designs in the Louvre; two of them are for circular dishes representing the Histories of Moses and of Samson. His prints, which are generally small, are very numerous; they are executed entirely with the graver, with great dexterity of handling, and are very highly finished. He copied some of the prints of Marc Antonio with success. He usually marked his prints with the initial of his Christian name, S., or S. F., or S. fecit, but sometimes Stephanus, fecit. His works are described in Robert-Dumesnil’s ‘Peintre-Graveur,’ vol. ix. The following are the principal: