The case of Aguilonius — By Kristof Selleslach, keeper of records at the Museum Plantin Moretus By obtaining a privilege publishers were in a position to protect their publications from reprinting by competitors. They did however not publish the entire text of the privilege in the publication concerned. They added a summary, usually in the…

Precautions in times of war — By Kristof Selleslach, keeper of records at the Museum Plantin Moretus When the siege of Antwerp became an actual threat, the inhabitants of the city were very much afraid of heavy pillaging. Prepared as always, Balthasar Moretus II took preventive measures. He sent his most valuable objects, together with proof…

Life and Death in Eighteenth-Century Antwerp — By Kristof Selleslach, archivist at the Museum Plantin-Moretus Theresa Mathilda Schilders recorded the important events in her life. She meticulously chronicled the births and deaths of those around her in her almanacs. As the wife of an almoner, she took care of the foundlings for a while. She also made…

The sample book made by Jan Moretus (1575) — By Kristof Selleslach, archivist at the Museum Plantin-Moretus The Moretuses upheld the tradition of season’s greetings. Jan Moretus presented his father-in-law Christopher Plantin bulky samplings of the Officina Plantiniana’s printed matter as a New Year’s gift. We only know some Plantin imprints because they were included in the sample books. Theatrum flosculorum

Celebration of the patron saint at the Plantin Press — By Kristof Selleslach, archivist at the Museum Plantin-Moretus For the Plantin Press the name day of Luke the Evangelist (18 October) was a very special Christian holiday. The printing presses were stopped for the entire day. The printers and typesetters were required to attend the solemn mass in honour of…

Alcohol abuse at the Plantin Press — By Kristof Selleslach, archivist at the Museum Plantin-Moretus Alcohol on the workfloor was a source of problems at the Plantin Press too. Multiple and repeated complaints about drunkenness notwithstanding, Andries d’Hondt was allowed to keep on working as a printer for many years. …

What does the content of a prize book tell us about young Melchior Moretus? — By Kristof Selleslach, archivist in the Museum Plantin-Moretus Latin schools stimulated competition between their pupils by awarding prize books after the exams. At the beginning of the summer of 1674 young Melchior Moretus (1661–1693) also received a prize book. The unusual subject of the book comes somewhat as a surprise…

Wat we vandaag als het Museum Plantin-Moretus kennen, was vroeger het huis en de werkplaats van Christoffel Plantijn en de familie Moretus. Driehonderd jaar lang stond op deze plek het boek centraal en dat is vandaag nog altijd zo. …

Balthasar II Moretus over partnerkeuze — Door Kristof Selleslach, archivaris in het Museum Plantin-Moretus Negen generaties lang leidde de familie Moretus de Plantijnse drukkerij op de Vrijdagmarkt in Antwerpen. De stichter Christoffel Plantijn (ca. 1520–1589) had het bedrijf in korte tijd uitgebouwd tot de grootste drukkerij en uitgeverij van het zestiende-eeuwse Europa. Plantijn had geen zoon…