Dutch engraver. He was the son of the Delft portrait painter Jacob Willemsz. Delff I, from whom he presumably received his earliest artistic instruction. Because his earliest known work, an engraved portrait of Christianus Goesius ('Bailiff in Delft'; 1600), was made after a drawing by the Antwerp engraver Johan Wierix, it has sometimes been assumed that Delff studied engraving under this Flemish artist. This, however, is unlikely since the original drawing had been made over 20 years earlier. It is far more probable that Delff was taught engraving by a Dutch artist, possibly Hendrick Goltzius. In the first part of his career Delff devoted himself primarily to producing book illustrations. He also produced portrait prints after the work of such painters as Michiel Jansz. van Miereveld and Jan Anthonisz. van Ravesteyn. //