Gerard Mercator (1512 - 1594)

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

Born: Rupelmonde, 05-03-1512
Died: Duisburg, 02-12-1594

Biography:
Since 1531 Gerard de Cremer (or de Kremer) called himself Gerard Mercator. He was a cartographer, publisher, globe and scientific instrument maker. Between ca.1545-ca.1570 he made three astrolabes. He also constructed an astronomical ring and produced globes. Student of Gemma Frisius in Leuven. Until 1550 Mercator worked for Emperor Charles V. In 1578, gilt-brass globe and an armillary sphere were made for Sultan Murad III. For Gemma Frisius Merctor made globes with Gaspar van der Heyden .

Collections: Historisches Museum Basel (astrological disc); IMSSF; Städliche Kunstsammelungen Augsburg; Moravská Galerie Brno (astrolabes).

Occupations:
Instrument maker: ~1535 - 1594

Sources:
Broecke, S. vanden. 'Dee, Mercator, and Louvain instrument making: an undescribed astrological disc by Gerard Mercator (1551)', in: Annals of science 58 (2001).

Beek, L. Pioniers der natuurwetenschappen (Assen 1983).

Middleton, A. 'Marketplace', in: Bulletin of the Scientific Instrument Society 55 (1997).

Rooseboom, M. Bijdrage tot de geschiedenis der instrumentmakerskunst in de noordelijke Nederlanden. (Leiden 1950).

Turner, G.L'E. '"To find the mind's construction in the face": The Newly-Discovered Astrolabes of Mercator', in: Bulletin of the Scientific Instrument Society 43 (1994).

Blondeau, R.A. Mercator van Rupelmonde. (Tielt 1993).

Watelet, M. and J. Babicz. Gerardus Mercator Rupelmundanus. (Antwerp 1994).

Turner, G.L'E. 'An Astrolabe attributed to Gerard Mercator, c.1570', in: Annals of science 50 (1992).