Jacques Androuet du Cerceau

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Jacques Androuet du Cerceau

French architect

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June 24, 2026

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Jacques Androuet du Cerceau was a prominent French architect, decorator, and engraver of the 16th century. He is considered the first member of a renowned dynasty of architects and decorators who significantly influenced French architecture from the 16th to the end of the 17th century.1

Du Cerceau's major contributions were his published collections of engravings, which documented furniture designs and architectural details. His travels to Italy exposed him to ancient Roman architecture, a strong influence seen in his later works. His notable publication, Les plus excellents bastiments de France (The Finest Buildings of France), is a valuable resource for understanding 16th-century French architecture, as many of the depicted buildings have since been altered or destroyed. While he did build structures, none of his architectural works survive today.1

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furniture
France
…headed by the work of Jacques du Cerceau; and in Burgundy, where, led by the craftsman and designer Hugues Sambin, design was influenced by the Renaissance style evolved in the Netherlands.
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…headed by the work of Jacques du Cerceau; and in Burgundy, where, led by the craftsman and designer Hugues Sambin, design was influenced by the Renaissance style evolved in the Netherlands.
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du Cerceau family
Jacques Androuet du Cerceau (b. c. 1520, Paris, France—d. c. 1585, Annecy), the first member of the dynasty, was trained as an architect, decorator, and engraver. His major achievements were his published collections of engravings, furniture designs, and architectural details.
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Jacques Androuet du Cerceau (b. c. 1520, Paris, France—d. c. 1585, Annecy), the first member of the dynasty, was trained as an architect, decorator, and engraver. His major achievements were his published collections of engravings, furniture designs, and architectural details.
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Western architecture
Mannerism
The architect Jacques Androuet du Cerceau the Elder prepared Les plus excellents bastiments de France (1576–79), a two-volume set of engravings that depict the new Renaissance 16th-century buildings of France, many of which have been destroyed or drastically altered. The Mannerist style died out in the early…
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The architect Jacques Androuet du Cerceau the Elder prepared Les plus excellents bastiments de France (1576–79), a two-volume set of engravings that depict the new Renaissance 16th-century buildings of France, many of which have been destroyed or drastically altered. The Mannerist style died out in the early…
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Tuileries Palace
…first plans, Jean Bullant, and Jacques du Cerceau. Louis Le Vau, in the 17th century, also contributed to the structure. In the gardens that survive, an arch from Delorme’s loggia was rebuilt; it is an example of his French Ionic order.
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…first plans, Jean Bullant, and Jacques du Cerceau. Louis Le Vau, in the 17th century, also contributed to the structure. In the gardens that survive, an arch from Delorme’s loggia was rebuilt; it is an example of his French Ionic order.
Read More