Étienne Delaune

Who was Étienne Delaune?

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.

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: