Etienne DuPérac

Etienne DuPérac was an artist and draughtsman active throughout the mid-16th century, with his documented career spanning from 1500 to 1569. His extant works are primarily documentary, demonstrating a specialized focus on architectural elevation, section, and archaeological studies essential to 16th-century classical revivalism.

DuPérac is represented in museum collections by fifteen works, consisting of twelve prints and three drawings. A significant portion of these works details meticulous architectural documentation, particularly focused on the structure of St. Peter’s Basilica. Examples include the precise technical rendering St. Peter's, dome and drum, interior section and elevation, and labeled details (recto), as well as highly detailed proportional studies such as St. Peter's, drum, interior, elevation (recto) St. Peter's, drum, pedestal, section (verso). These surviving Etienne DuPérac prints provide insights into Renaissance engineering and design methodologies.

Beyond his architectural studies, DuPérac contributed to the documentation of classical antiquities. Several works are associated with archaeological publications, including detailed depictions of artifacts, such as the Face of an Egyptian canopic vase drawn for the influential collection Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae. These works confirm his status as a key visual documentarian of his era. Examples of DuPérac’s drawings and prints are held in major institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, validating the museum-quality standard of his artistic documentation. Many of his historical illustrations are now in the public domain.