Blaeu, Willem Jansz

Son Joan I (Johannes, Jan): c. 1599–1673, born and died in Amsterdam. The Blaeu family was, for 40 years – until a 1672 fire destroyed all their equipment, plates and stock – one of the most famous 16th-century publishers of maps, globes and atlases, as well as cartographers, globe makers and booksellers. Willem (Janssonius) Janszoon originally studied under the astronomer Tycho Brahe and founded a globe- and equipment-making company 1n 1596. In 1621 he changed his name to Blaeu to differentiate himself, his firm and his family from that of Johannes
Janssonius. In 1629 he bought 36 plates from Hondius and issued his first land atlas in 1630
(eight copies are known) as “Atlantis Appendix” which had 60 maps without text. Another of his many publications was “Theatrum Orbis Terrarum” or “Novus Atlas” in 1634 and later editions. On
the death of his former apprentice, Hessel Gerritsz, in 1633, he became chartmaker for the Dutch
East india Company. At his own death in 1638, the business passed to his sons Joan (I) and Cornelius.
Joan I collaborated with his father and brother, and ran the business after his father died – at which
point he succeeded him as chartmaker to the Dutch East India Company. Joan I expanded his father’s
atlas “Theatrum Orbis Terrarum” publishing six volumes up to 1655. He published “Atlas Major”
known as the Grand Atlas, from 1662–1672 in 11 volumes – often described as the most magnificent
work of its kind ever produced. It was also said to be the most expensive printed book of the 17th
century. [100 of the maps are reproduced in a 1991 replica atlas published by Rizzoli, a book I am
proud to have received as a present from my wife, Aileen. AK]. What was left of the company after
the 1672 fire and the death of Joan in 1673 passed to his son, Joan II. The firm’s surviving stock of
plates and maps were gradually dispersed, with some of the surviving plates being sold to Frederick
de Wit, Pierre Mortier, and Schenk and Valck. Many of these maps were included in composite
atlases, even as late as 1730. The demise of the House of Blaeu brought an end to the Dutch
domination of cartography.