Petrus, or Pieter de Jode I or Pieter de Jode the Elder[a] (1570 – 9 August 1634), was a Flemish printmaker, draughtsman, publisher and painter active principally active in Antwerp. He was active as a reproductive artist who created many prints after the works of leading painters and was in addition a prolific designer of prints for Antwerp publishers.
Life
Pieter de Jode was born in Antwerp as the son of the prominent Dutch-born map maker Gerard de Jode. He received his initial training in the techniques of drawing and engraving from his father. He later studied with Hendrik Goltzius in Haarlem. In the early 1590s he was active in Amsterdam. He then travelled to Italy.[1]
In Rome in the 1590s he made engravings after works by Titian, Giulio Romano and Jacopo Bassano. His engravings of Italian master paintings became a source for Karel van Mander.[2] He also spent time in Venice as is documented on a suite of engravings after designs by Maerten de Vos which he made in Venice and was published by Crispijn de Passe.[1]
He travelled back home and in 1599 he became a master in the Guild of Saint Luke in Antwerp. In 1631 he travelled to Paris.[3]
Pieter de Jode the Elder initially made engravings after Bartholomäus Spranger, which show the influence of his master Hendrik Goltzius.[4] This influence was evident in his spirited, disciplined and technically sophisticated engraving technique.[1]
^* Text from Karel van Mander's Schilderboeck, p.195: Noch eenen Ventura Salimbeni van Siena isser te Siena, die seer aerdighe dingen ghehetst laet van zijn handt en vindinghen uytgaen, van datum 1590. en 94. Een ander Sienees noch te Siena, laet van hem uytgaen een historie van S. Catherina van Siena, seer versierlijck geinventeert, en gesneden door Pieter de Iode van Antwerpen.