Christophe Plantin (; – 1 July 1589) was a French Renaissance humanist and book printer and publisher who resided and worked in Antwerp. He established in Antwerp one of the most prominent publishing houses of his time, the Plantin Press. It played a significant role in making Antwerp a leading centre of book publishing in Europe. The publishing house was continued by his successors until 1867.

Life

thumb|A Plantin Press title page with compass vignette with motto "Labore et Constantia"

Plantin was born in France, probably in Saint-Avertin, near the city of Tours, Touraine. He was not born to a wealthy family, and his mother died when Plantin was still quite young. As a youth he apprenticed as a bookbinder in Caen, Normandy, and also married there. In 1545, he and his wife, Joanna Rivière, set up shop in Paris, but after three years, they chose to relocate to the booming commercial centre of Antwerp, where Plantin became a free citizen and a member of the Guild of St Luke, the guild responsible for painters, sculptors, engravers and printers. The quality of his work as a bookbinder brought him into contact with nobility and wealth. By 1549, he headed one of the most well-respected publishing houses in Europe. He was responsible for printing a wide range of titles, from Cicero to religious hymnals. With Montano's zealous help, the work was finished in four years (1568 - 1572). There were eight volumes in folio format, meaning only two pages could be printed at one time.

Though outwardly a faithful member of the Catholic Church, he appears to have used his resources to support several sects of heretics, sometimes known as the Family of Love or Familists. It is now proven that many of their books, published without naming the printer, came from Plantin Press.

Legacy

After Plantin's death, his firm was taken over by his son-in-law, Jan Moretus who ran his shop in Antwerp, and Francis van Ravelinghen who took over his shop in Leiden. Towards the end of the 17th century, the business began to decline. Plantin's works however, were meticulously preserved.

Christophe Plantin (1520–1589) married Joanna Riviere; they had five daughters and a son. Christophe's daughters were described as learned in reading and writing, especially Greek and Latin. One teenage daughter is said to have helped proofread the Plantin Polygot.

  • Margaretha Plantin married Franciscus Raphelengius, who led the Leiden branch of the house. They stayed printers in Leiden for two more generations of Van Ravelinge, until 1619. A great-granddaughter of the last Van Ravelinge printer married in 1685 Jordaen Luchtmans, founder of what would become later the still existing Brill Publishers.
  • Magdalena Plantin, was reported to have aided her father in proofreading the Biblia Regia in five different languages; “it was said that she could correct the script perfectly accurately, but without understanding a word of it.” Magdalen would later marry her father's Paris agent. She married Gilles Beys, who then ran the French branch of the Plantin office. This continued for one more generation under their son, Christophe Beys.
  • Martina Plantin, who with her sister, Catherine, helped run the family's silk shop by the age of seventeen. Martina and Catherine were efficient and well known in their silk handlings. Later, Martina married Jan Moretus (Jan or Joannes Moerentorf) (1543–1610) in 1570. They had 10 children. After her husband's death, Martina was the head of the firm until her sons took over running the business.
  • Balthasar I Moretus (1574–1641)
  • Jan II Moretus (1576–1618) married Maria De Sweert; they had 6 children
  • Balthasar II Moretus (1615–1674) married Anna Goos; they had 12 children
  • Balthazar III Moretus (1646–1696) married Anna Maria de Neuf; they had 9 children
  • Balthazar IV Moretus (1679–1730) married Isabella Jacoba De Mont (or De Brialmont); they had 8 children
  • Joannes Jacobus Moretus (1690–1757) married Theresia Mechtildis Schilder; they had 9 children
  • Franciscus Joannes Moretus (1717–1768) married Maria Theresia Borrekens, who led the office after Franciscus' death until her death in 1797. They had 13 children
  • Jacobus Paulus Josephus Moretus (1756–1808)
  • Ludovicus Franciscus Xaverius Moretus (1758–1820)
  • Josephus Hyacinthus Moretus (1762–1810) married Maria Henrica Coleta Wellens; they had 8 children
  • Albertus Franciscus Hyacinthus Fredericus Moretus (1795–1865)
  • Eduardus Josephus Hyacinthus Moretus (1804–1880). He sold the office to the city of Antwerp in 1876, after having printed the last book in 1866.
  • Henrica, the fifth daughter, married Pieter Moerentof, the younger brother of Jan I. Moretus.

See also

  • Dirk Martens
  • Plantin (typeface)
  • Lodewijk Elzevir

Notes

References

  • De Backer, A., and Ruelens, C., Annales plantiniennes depuis la fondation de l'imprimerie plantinienne (Brussels, 1866).
  • Clair, Colin, Christopher Plantin (London, Cassell, 1960)
  • Degeorge, Léon, La Maison Plantin à Anvers, 2nd ed. (Brussels, 1878).
  • Rooses, Max, Christophe Plantin, imprimeur anversois (Antwerp, 1882).
  • Voet, L., and Voet-Grisolle, J., The Plantin Press (1555-1589) (6 vols., Amsterdam 1980-1983).
  • Voet, Leon, The Golden Compasses : a history and evaluation of the printing and publishing activities of the Officina Plantiniana at Antwerp, in two volumes. Vol. 1, Christophe Plantin and the Moretuses. (Amsterdam and London, 1969).

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