Danckerts (father, son, grandchildren and great-grandchildren)

The Danckerts family of engravers and publishers was founded by was founded by Cornelis (1561–1631), a print seller. His son, known as Cornelis the Elder (1603–1656), established the family’s mapmaking business. He had two sons, a) Dancker (1634–1666), who published c. 1657–1661, and b) Justus the Elder (1635–1701). He had three sons: a) Justus the Younger, an engraver/publisher who died 1692, and two other sons who helped their father assemble atlases 1670–1700: b) Theodore (1663–1727) and c) Cornelis the Younger (1664–1717), both of whom were accomplished engravers. In 1684, the family received a “Privilege” for 15 years, which was renewed for another 15 when the first expired in 1699. Determining which Danckert actually engraved a map, and which one was the actual publisher, is problematic, because the names on cartouches were not necessarily those primarily responsible. A map of particular interest was published in two states:

the first, c. 1690,

the second, c. 1700.

“Regni Poloniӕ et Ducatus Lithuaniӕ Volniӕ Podoliӕ Vcraniӕ Prvssiӕ et Cvrlandiӕ” is 49×58 cm. The earlier state lacks a label for the Baltic, has a label only for “Memmel” along Neringa, and has simple hatching on land/sea borders; the later state has a Latin and German label for the Baltic, many town labels along Neringa, and two-stage hatching on land/sea borders.