Pierre Milan

Pierre Milan was a printmaker active during the early 16th century, documented as working between approximately 1500 and 1554. His artistic production, known through the preservation of his graphic works, is confirmed in the permanent collections of major American institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Art, and the Art Institute of Chicago.

The five prints currently represented in these museum collections demonstrate Milan’s thematic range, which encompassed classical mythology, portraiture, and design studies. Notable works include the mythological narratives Jupiter and Callisto and Dance of the Dryades, alongside allegorical pieces such as The Nymph of Fontainebleau. Milan also focused on character studies, evidenced by works like Bust of a Man in an Extravagant Costume and the detailed plates in The Three Fates, Costume Designs.

The documented body of Pierre Milan prints contributes to the study of sixteenth-century graphic arts. Because these historical works are frequently part of the public domain, they allow for the production of museum-quality reproductions accessible to scholars and the general public.