Pieter Perret facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pieter Perret
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| Born | c. 1555 |
| Died | 1625 (aged 69–70) |
| Other names | Spanish: Pedro Perret |
| Occupation | Engraver |
Pieter Perret (also known as Pedro Perret) was a skilled Flemish engraver. He was born around 1555 and passed away in 1625. Pieter Perret worked in Madrid, Spain, for King Philip II of Spain.
He married Isabel de Faria, who was from Portugal. They had a son, also named Peter. His son later changed his name to "Pedro Perete" and also became an engraver.
Contents
Early Life and Training
Pieter Perret was born in Antwerp, a city in what is now Belgium, around 1555. He learned the art of engraving from famous artists like Maerten de Vos and Gerard de Jode. Before 1578, he traveled to Rome, Italy, to study engraving further with Cornelis Cort.
After his studies, he went back to Antwerp. He later moved to Bavaria, a region in Germany. There, he became the official engraver for important leaders like William IV, Duke of Bavaria. He might have also worked in Paris, France, for a publisher named Nicolas Le Bon.
Working for the King of Spain
In 1584, a famous architect named Juan de Herrera hired Perret. Herrera wanted Perret to create engravings of the Monastery of San Lorenzo Del Escorial. This included pictures of plants and views of the area around the monastery.
Perret moved to Madrid for this important job. He was paid 600 ducats, which was a lot of money back then. He was supposed to focus only on this project. The work was finished in 1589. The engravings were put into a small book that Herrera sold. Even though he was busy, Perret also created a portrait of Empress Maria of Austria in 1585.
In 1590, Perret returned to Antwerp. By 1594, he became a master in the Guild of Saint Luke, a group for artists. Between 1591 and 1595, he made some symbolic engravings based on drawings by Otto van Veen. Some of these were dedicated to Herrera and King Philip II. He also created small engravings of the prophets Daniel, Ezekiel, and Haggai. Copies of these can be seen in the Lázaro Galdiano Museum in Madrid.
In 1595, King Philip II officially appointed him as a court engraver. This meant he worked directly for the king and received a yearly salary. With this royal job, Perret settled in Madrid. He started focusing on illustrating books. He made not only book covers and portraits but also small decorations and designs for books.
Later Works and Book Illustrations
Pieter Perret published many books while living in Madrid. He might have also worked in Lisbon, Portugal, for a time. Some of his most famous works are portraits. These include the "Portrait of Saint Ignatius of Loyola" and portraits of other important people like Mateo Alemán.
Between 1609 and his death in 1625, he designed the covers for most of the books published in Madrid. Some of these books include "The Conquest of the Moluccas" and "Filipe Segundo Rey de España," which featured an image of King Philip II as a "defender of faith." He also provided illustrations for other books, working with architects like Juan Gómez de Mora.
Pieter Perret was a very busy and important engraver. His work helped to illustrate many books and show important buildings and people of his time.
Images for kids
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Overview of San Lorenzo Del Escorial, 1589
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Engraving of the altarpiece in the main chapel of San Lorenzo Del Escorial
See also
In Spanish: Pedro Perret para niños
