Juan de Arphe y Villafañe

Juan de Arfe y Villafañe (1535–1603) was a Spanish engraver, goldsmith, artist, anatomist and author.

[1] Born in Leon, Arphe y Villafañe was instructed by his father, Antonio, in goldsmithing and engraving, and also studied anatomy in Toledo and Salamanca.

Following his father's death, Villafañe moved to Valladolid, where he worked as a goldsmith, mostly for churches and cathedrals, making monstrances and other pieces for cities including Ávila, Seville and Burgos.

At the same time, he was an architect and a sculptor, and worked as an engraver and creator of woodcuts, as well as being the assayer of a mint in Segovia.

Arphe-Villafañe wrote several books of which the best known was his Varia comesuracion para la escultura y arquitectura.