Willem Janszoon Blaeu, 1571-1638

[1] An exhaustive study of the life and work of Willem Janszoon Blaeu does not exist. One of great value and interest is that by Baudet, P. J. H. Leven en werken van Willem Jansz. Blaeu, uitgegeven door het Provincial Utrechtsch genootschap van kunsten en wetenschappen. Utrecht, 1871.

The author acknowledges here his indebtedness to Baudet’s work for invaluable aid in the preparation of this brief biography.

[2] See illustration, p. 12. This, it will be noted, is a map signed “Insula Hvaena sive Venusia à Gviljelmo Blaev cum sum Tychone Astronomiae operam daret delineata.”

[3] See illustration, p. 30.

August 8, 1576, the corner-stone of the Castle of Uranienburg was laid with much ceremony, and the completion of the building was made possible through the generous contributions and patronage of Frederick II of Denmark. See, for a brief description, Wolf: Geschichte der Astronomie, München, 1877, p. 277; Picard, J. Voyage d’Uranibourg, ou observations astronomiques faites en Dannemarck. (Mem. de l’Acad. royale des sciences depuis 1666 jusque à 1699, tom. VII, p. 197); Blaeu: Atlas Major, vol. I, pp. 61-101. Twelve illustrations of the Island of Hveen, and of the observatory of Uranienburg, with brief description, may here be found. These illustrations, it appears, were taken from Brahe: Astronomiae instauratae mechanica. 1598.

[4] This great copper globe, which Picard describes as having a diameter of 4 feet 7 inches and 1 line, constructed in Augsburg under the direction of Paul Hainzel, appears to have been sent to Uranienburg about 1584. In the course of succeeding years more than one thousand stars were represented on its surface according to the observations of Tycho Brahe. In 1597 the great astronomer left Denmark to find a home in Prague, taking with him his astronomical instruments, including his celestial globe. After Brahe’s death in 1601, these instruments were purchased by Rudolph II, but on the capture of the City of Prague in 1623 by the Danish Prince Ulrich the globe with other objects of interest was taken to Copenhagen. Here it remained until 1728, when it was destroyed by fire together with the castle in which it had so long been kept.

[5] John Blaeu, son of Willem, tells us that in 1591 his father was amanuensis of Tycho Brahe. See Blaeu: Atlas Major, 1662, vol. I, p. 63.

[6] Given by Baudet, p. 154.

[7] On the title-page of many of the books published by Blaeu, as on many of the maps which he issued, appears the expression “Sub signo solarii deaurati.” Most of the works printed by Blaeu before 1619 have as his printer’s device a balance with a terrestrial globe in the right scale and a celestial globe in the left, the latter being represented as the heavier and having the word “Praestat” printed below it. In certain later publications this mark was replaced by an armillary sphere, at the left of which is an allegorical figure representing Time and on the right a figure representing Hercules with the inscription “Indefessus agendo.” See p. 59.

[8] See, for brief descriptions of Blaeu’s press, Stower, C. Printer’s Grammar. London, 1808, pp. 303-304; Hansard, Typography: an historical sketch of the origin and progress of the art of printing. London, 1825, p. 550; and especially Johnson, J., Typographia, or the Printer’s Instructor. London, 1824, vol. II, pp. 500-551. It is from this last named work that illustration p. 16 is taken.

[9] Filips von Zesen: Beschreibung der Stadt Amsterdam, 1664, pp. 215-216.

[10] John Blaeu’s oldest son Willem was at this time about one year old. If the statement by Zesen is correct, it perhaps points us to an interesting exhibition of parental pride.

[11] See Baudet, p. 15.

[12] See Baudet, p. 14.

[13] The report of this survey may be found in Snellius, W. Eratosthenes Batavus, de terrae ambitus vera quantitate, a Willebrordi Snellio suscitatus. Lugd. Batav., 1617.

[14] Picard, J. Ouvrages de mathematique. A la Haye, chez P. Gosse et J. Neaulme, 1731.

[15] This letter is quoted by Baudet, pp. 172-174.

[16] See Lelewel, J. Geographie du Moyen Age, Bruxelles, 1852-1857, vol. II, p. 194.

[17] See De Jonge, J. K. J. De opkomst van het Nederlandsch gezag in Oost-Indie, 1862-1909, vol. I, pp. 88-89.

[18] See Baudet, p. 18.

[19] See Baudet, pp. 18-19.

[20] Reference to Galileo and his attempts to solve the problems relative to the determination of longitude may be found in Kästner, A. G. Geschichte der Mathematik, 1796, vol. IV, p. 207; Galileo Galilei: Opere, III, p. 142; Baudet, pp. 131-145.

[21] See Extract uit de Resol. der Staten van Holland en West-Vriesland, 5 Aug., 1608, given by Baudet, pp. 156-158.

[22] See p. 58 for specific reference to some of the many striking similarities, which seem to give conclusive evidence that Hondius borrowed from Blaeu.

[23] See Baudet, P. J. H. Naschrift op. Leven en werken van W. Jz. Blaeu, pp. 15-18.

[24] The inscriptions in the original Dutch are given by Baudet: Naschrift, pp. 16-17.

[25] An extract from the Resolution is given by Baudet, p. 156.

[26] Baudet says: “I am unable to determine whether the World Map of 1605 and the Mappa Mundi, in two hemispheres, of that year, as referred to in the resolution of the States General, are the same. I believe, however, that the World Map is the ‘Nova totius terrarum orbis geographica ac hydrographica tabula, auct. Guiljelmo Blaeuw,’ drawn according to Mercator’s projection, to be found in the ‘Toonneel des Aerdrycx.’ It is not dated, but apparently was printed from a plate which had been used in 1606, though improved somewhat, but from it the date had been erased, which however, according to Lelewel, is slightly visible “on some copies.” See Baudet, pp. 85-86. The “Nova totius terrarum” is reproduced, p. 52.

[27] See Baudet, pp. 96-98, for extracts from his letters to Schickard.

[28] See Fiorini, Matteo. Sfere Terrestri e Celesti di autore Italiano oppure fatte o conservate in Italia. Roma, Presso la Società Geografica Italiana, 1898; Günther, Sigmund. Erd- und Himmelsgloben, ihre Geschichte und Konstruktion, nach dem Italienischen Matteo Fiorinis frei bearbeitet. Leipzig, 1895.

[29] Ravenstein, E. G. Martin Behaim; his life and his globe. London, George Philip Son, Ltd., 1908. Contains a facsimile of the globe printed on four sheets.

[30] Fischer, Jos. S. J. and Wieser, Prof. Franz V. The Oldest Map with the name America of the year 1507 and the Carta Marina of the year 1516 by M. Waldseemüller (Ilacomilus), Innsbruck, 1903. See p. 14.

[31] Van Raemdonck, D. J. Les sphères terrestre et céleste de Gérard Mercator [1541-1551]. Notice publiée à l’occasion de la reproduction de ses sphères à l’aide de facsimile de leurs fuseaux originaux, gravés par Mercator et conservés à la Bibliothèque Royale à Bruxelles. Saint-Nicolas, 1875.

[32] Fiorini, op. cit., pp. 192-199.

[33] Fiorini, op. cit., pp. 262-272.

[34] Fiorini, op. cit., pp. 229-262.

[35] Fredrik Houtman, astronomer and navigator, sailed with his brother Cornelius Houtman to the East Indies in the years 1599 and 1600.

[36] Baudet quotes an interesting resolution of the States General, dated December 10, 1616: “Opte requeste van Willem Jansz., haere Ho. Mo. gedediceert hebbende eenen aertscloot van grooter formen, inhoudende die deelen des aertsbodens, die tot dese tyden toe ontdeckt ende bekent gemaect syn, mitsgaders eene hemelsche sphera van gelyche groote, is den suppliant voor deselve dedicatie toegeleet vyftich guldens eens.” See p. 156.

[37] Stevenson, Edward Luther, Ph.D., and Fischer, Joseph, S. J. Map of the World by Jodocus Hondius, Facsimile in eighteen sheets with text and key plate, issued under the joint auspices of The American Geographical Society and The Hispanic Society of America, New York, 1907.

[38] See note, p. 39.