Jan Baptist de Crépu

Jan Baptist de Crépu or Jean Baptiste de Crépu (before 1640 – before 17 June 1689) was a Walloon officer in the Spanish service and a flower painter who after retiring from military service operated a workshop in Antwerp. He trained the flower painters Simon Hardimé and Jan Baptist Bosschaert.

Life Details about de Crépu's origins are not entirely clear. He was of Walloon descent and initially had a career as an officer in the Spanish service. Only at the age of about 40 did he decide to become a painter. He settled in Antwerp where he likely trained. He was registered as a master in the Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke in the guild year 1684–1685.

In 1685 he received Jan Baptist Bosschaert as an apprentice. Bosschaert also lived in de Crépu's house during his apprenticeship. The early biographer Jacob Campo Weyerman claims that he also knew de Crépu and admired his work.

Before becoming a master painter de Crépu married Maria Anna Pauli or Pauwels on 31 December 1682 in Antwerp. His wife was the daughter of the miniature painter Andries Pauli the Younger, who had become a master in the Antwerp Guild in the guild year 1654–1655. The couple had one son and one daughter.

He died before 17 June 1689, the date on which his widow declared before the Antwerp magistrate that she was a widow.

A few large-scale flower still lifes by de Crépu were auctioned on 15 May 1741 at an Antwerp auction. He is known to have collaborated with other painters in Antwerp including the Antwerp figure painter Peter Ykens.