Balthasar I Moretus

Portrait of Balthasar I Moretus by Peter Paul Rubens, now at the Plantin-Moretus Museum

Balthasar Moretus (23 July 1574 – 8 July 1641), usually called Balthasar I Moretus to distinguish him from later members of the family with the same name, was the head of the Officina Plantiniana, the printing company established by his grandfather Christophe Plantin in Antwerp in 1555.

Balthasar Moretus was paralysed on his left side. He studied for a few months under Justus Lipsius, but then fell sick and returned home to work in the office. At first he was a proofreader, but soon he took over more responsibilities. After the death of his father Jan Moretus in 1610, Balthasar took over the company together with his brother Jan II.[1] After the death of Jan II in 1619, Balthazar started a partnership with Jan van Meurs, who was married to a sister of Maria De Sweert, the wife of Jan II Moretus. This lasted until 1629. By that time, Balthasar II Moretus, son of Jan II, was helping his uncle, and would eventually take over the company after his death in 1641. Balthasar I never married.

When he was the head of the Officina, he continued ordering illustrations from the workshop of engraver Theodore Galle, but also contacted Peter Paul Rubens to design title pages and provide other illustrations. He knew Rubens from his school period and they were lifelong friends. Apart from many book illustrations and designs, Baltahsar also ordered 19 portraits from Rubens. Many of those are still preserved in the Plantin-Moretus Museum, and include portraits of Christoffel Plantin, Jan I Moretus and Justus Lipsius.[2]

Balthasar I Moretus was also responsible for the expansion and completion of the buildings of the company, which now are the Plantin-Moretus Museum. They were built in the Renaissance style, and together with Rubens' house in Baroque style were considered as highlights early seventeenth century civil building in Antwerp. The Museum, both the building and the interior, is now a Unesco World Heritage Site.

Works published by Balthasar I Moretus (Officina Plantiniana, 1610–1641)

Title page of Silvester Petra Sancta, De symbolis heroicis book 9, from 1634

This is a very partial list of the works published during the years that Balthasar I Moretus was leading the Plantin company. Some of them are reprints of works published earlier by the Plantin company of by other companies, but most are first impressions. Until 1616, the books were officially printed by the widow and sons of Jan Moretus: between 1616 and 1618, by Jan and Balthasar Moretus; from 1618 until 1629, both the widow of Jan II and Jan van Meurs may be mentioned as co-printers: between 1629 and 1641, only Balthasar was mentioned.

Notes

  1. ↑ "Drafts of Letters Sent by Balthasar Moretus I, 1598–1607". World Digital Library. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  2. ↑ "Portrettenverzameling Balthasar I Moretus [reeks]". Rubens online. Retrieved 2 September 2011.

Sources