Joan Blaeu (1596 - 1673)

Field(s) of interest: cartography | scientific instruments
Gender: male

Born: Alkmaar, 23-09-1596
Died: Amsterdam, 28-05-1673

Biography:
Joan Blaeu studied law at Leiden University from 1616 to 1619 and made a Grand Tour through Europe after his studies. In 1631, he became his father's partner in 'de Vergulde Sonnewijser', a printing and publishing company. In 1635, the printing workshop was moved to the Bloemgracht. The bookshop was located in the Vergulde Sonnewyser, which also became Joan's residence after his father moved to the Bloemgracht. In 1638, after his father's death, Joan was appointed mapmaker for the 'Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie' (VOC). His brother Cornelis joined him as a partner in the firm, but died four years later. Around 1650, Joan created several giant globes, and, in 1662, his son Pieter succeeded him in the printing business. In 1672, Pieter opened a second printing workshop, which was destroyed by fire the same year. Blaeu not only made globes and atlases (including a giant terrestrial globe made around 1650 measuring 2.13 m in diameter housed in the Historical Museum, Moscow), but also printed and published forbidden Catholic books under a pseudonym (Cornelis van Egmond in Ceulen, Kinckius in Ceulen and Calcovius in Ceulen).

Collections: Historical Museum Moscow (giant terrestrial globe); Museum Boerhave Leiden.

Occupations:
publisher and globe maker: 1631 - 1662 (Amsterdam)

Sources:
Krogt, P. van der. Globi Neerlandici (Utrecht 1993).

Donkersloot-de Vrij, M. Drie generaties Blaeu (Amsterdam/Zutphen 1992).