Thomas de Leu

Thomas de Leu or Leeuw or Le Leup or Deleu (1560–1612) was a French engraver, publisher, and print dealer of Flemish origin.

Life
He was the son of a print dealer in Oudenaarde and began his career in Antwerp, where he worked for Jean Ditmar (c. 1538–1603) and was influenced by the Wierix.

Sometime after 1576 and before 1580 he went to Paris to work for the painter and engraver Jean Rabel (1540/50–1603).

On 22 August 1583 he married Marie Caron, daughter of Antoine Caron, one of the principal painters of the Second School of Fontainebleau. Although it has been stated that he was thereby the brother-in-law of the engraver Léonard Gaultier, this is probably not the case.

In the Wars of Religion he managed to switch from the side of the Catholic League to that of Henry IV. As a result, he became enormously wealthy, running a highly productive workshop and publishing numerous prints by other artists. His apprentices included Jacques Honnervogt (fl 1608–1635) and Melchior Tavernier.

On 22 May 1605 he married Charlotte Bothereau. His daughter Charlotte married Claude Vignon. He died in Paris.

Work
His first dated engraving is Justice (1579; Linzeler no. 57). He produced more than 300 plates of portraiture, including ones of Catherine de' Medici (Linzeler no. 255) and Sir Francis Drake, and many engravings on religious subjects, such as Christ in Blessing (1598; Linzeler no. 7) and a set of 25 plates depicting The Life of Saint Francis. He also provided illustrations for books.