Verdussen was a dynasty of printers in Antwerp, starting with Hieronymus Verdussen I in the late sixteenth century, and ending around 1800. Many other printers in Antwerp were also related to the Verdussens through marriage. They specialized in religious works and works in Spanish, but also published newspapers, almanachs, poetry, scientific works, .... By the end of the 17th century, they produced about 21% of the Spanish books printed in the Netherlands, and with 5 presses was second only to Moretus in Antwerp. In 1876, the Verdussenstraat (Verdussen Street) was named after the family in Antwerp.

Family tree

Hieronymus Verdussen (1552-1635) *Hieronymus Verdussen II (1583-1653) **Hieronymus Verdussen III (1620-1687) ***Hieronymus Verdussen V (1650-1717) ****Hieronymus Verdussen VI ***Hendrik Verdussen (1653-1721) ****Cornelis Verdussen II (1706-1748) *****Peter Antoon Verdussen (1737-1790) ******Hendrik Peter Verdussen (1778-1857) ******Francis Antoon Verdussen (1783-1850) *****Jan Paul Verdussen (1738-1803) ***Cornelis Verdussen (1661-1728) **Jan Baptist Verdussen (1625-1689) ***Jan Baptist Verdussen II (1659-1759) ****Jan Baptist Verdussen III (1698-1773) *Marie Verdussen married printer

Willem Lesteens Guiliam or Willem Lesteens (1590–1661), Latinized Gulielmus Lesteenius, was a printer and publisher in the city of Antwerp, in the Spanish Netherlands. Life Lesteens was born in Antwerp on 19 April 1590, the son of Gaspard Lesteens and Cather ...

(1590-1661) *Willem Verdussen (1592-1667) **Hieronymus Verdussen IV (often confused with Hieronymus Verdussen III) **Jacob Verdussen *Jan Verdussen **Margaretha Verdussen (1613-1668) married Artus Quellinus The place of the other Verdussen's (if any) in this tree is unknown. Whether the painters Peter Verdussen (1662-after 1710) and his son Jan Peter Verdussen (1700-1763) (both from Antwerp) were related to the printers is also unknown, Peter Verdussen may be the son of Jacob Verdussen, son of Willem Verdussen. Artus Quellinus, who sculpted the lion at the entrance of the publisher's shop, married Margaretha Verdussen (1613-1668) in 1640.

Hieronymus Verdussen

Hieronymus Verdussen I was the first of the Verdussen family to start printing in Antwerp, near the end of the sixteenth century. Born in 1552, he married in 1579 and died in 1635.Stijn Van Rossem, ''Het gevecht met de boeken. De uitgeversstrategieën van de familie Verdussen (1589-1689)'', Lulu.com, 2014, p. 43 He started working as an apprentice to the bookseller and printer Hendrick Wouters. Hieronymus entered the

Guild of Saint Luke The Guild of Saint Luke was the most common name for a city guild for painters and other artists in early modern Europe, especially in the Low Countries. They were named in honor of the Evangelist Luke, the patron saint of artists, who was ide ...

, guild of artists and bookprinters, in 1590. He bought Petrus Phalesius the Younger's printing office "De Roode Leeu" in 1606. Nearly three hundred publications by him are known. *1593: H. Adriani, ''Legende der Mirakelen ons H. Jesu Ch. en zyn Heylighen'', the oldest known work printed by a Verdussen *1596:

Terence Publius Terentius Afer (; – ), better known in English as Terence (), was a Roman African playwright during the Roman Republic. His comedies were performed for the first time around 166–160 BC. Terentius Lucanus, a Roman senator, brought ...

, ''Comedien'' *1596: Valentijn van Goorle, ''Almanach ende Prognosticatie van den wonderlycken jare ons heeren 1597'' *1605: Jan van Ghelen, ''Baghijnken van Parijs'' *1607:

Otto van Veen Otto van Veen, also known by his Latinized name Otto Venius or Octavius Vaenius (1556 – 6 May 1629), was a painter, draughtsman, and humanist active primarily in Antwerp and Brussels in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He is known for ...

, ''Emblemata Horatiana'' (2 editions: 1607 and 1612; republished in Spanish by next generations of the Verdussens in 1672, 1682, 1701 and 1733) *1608: Otto van Veen, ''Amorum emblemata'' *1610: Pedro Teixeira, ''Relaciones del origen, descendencia y succession de los reyes de Persia y de Harmuz'' *1611:

Anna Bijns Anna Bijns or Anna Byns (1493 in Antwerp – 1575 in Antwerp) was a Flemish poet who wrote in the Dutch language. She was an educator and the administrator of a primary school in Antwerp until the age of 80. Even while as a woman she was denied ...

, ''Gheestelycke refereyn'' *1611:

Jean-Baptiste Gramaye Jean-Baptiste Gramaye ( Antwerp, 1579 - Lübeck, 1635) was an early modern historian of the Southern Netherlands. He studied law and became a professor at Leuven University. Later he was employed as court historian by Albert VII, Archduke of Austr ...

, ''Primitae antiquitatem Gandensium - Corturiaci'' *1615: Francesco Lanario, ''Le Guerre di Fiandra'' *1617: ''Ordonnantie ende Placcaet van de Ertz-Hertoghen'', en ''Specificatie'', two booklets concerning the henceforth accepted gold and silver coins: updates printed 1618, 1619 *1617: ''Antiphonarium romanum'' (reprinted 1622) *1618:

Nicasius Baxius Nicasius was a Roman cognomen, whose variants include Nicasio, Nicaise, and Necaise. It can refer to: Saints *Nicasius of Rheims (5th century) *Nicasius of Dijon (4th century) * Nicasius, Quirinus, Scubiculus, and Pientia (3rd century), martyrs * N ...

, ''Elegantiae rhetoricae'' *1619: Jan Berthout, ''Collocutions familières'', republished in 1623 *1619:

Pedro de Ribadeneira Pedro de Ribadeneira S.J. ( Toledo, 1 November 1527 – Madrid, 10 September or 22 September 1611) was a Spanish hagiographer, Jesuit priest, companion of Ignatius of Loyola, and a Spanish Golden Age ascetic writer. Life Pedro was born at T ...

, ''Generale legende der Heilighen met het leven Jesu Christi ende Marie'' *1619:

Johannes Cotovicus Johannes Cotovicus or Jan van Cootwijk was a 17th-century travel writer who wrote an account of a journey to Jerusalem and Syria. A. J. van der Aa, ''Biographisch woordenboek der Nederlanden'', vol. 3 (Haarlem, 1858), 704-705Availableon Digital Lib ...

, ''Itinerarium Hierosolymitanum et Syriacum'' **1620: Johannes Cotovicus, ''De loflycke reyse van Jerusalem ende Syrien'', translated by Adriaan van Meerbeeck *1620:

Adriaan van Meerbeeck Adrianus or Adriaan van Meerbeeck (1563–1627) was a writer and translator from Antwerp. Life Meerbeeck was born in Antwerp in 1563. By 1600 he was headmaster of the Aalst grammar school, and he was still living in Aalst in 1625. A. J. van der Aa ...

, ''Chronycke van de gantsche werelt'' *1622:

Benedictus van Haeften Benedictus van Haeften (1588 – 31 July 1648) was the Provost of Affligem Abbey and a writer of religious works. Haeften commissioned Rubens and De Crayer to decorate the church and the monastery in Affligem. Biography Van Haeften was a Bened ...

, ''Den Lusthof der Christelycke Leeringhe'' *1623:

Muretus Muretus is the Latinized name of Marc Antoine Muret (12 April 1526 – 4 June 1585), a French humanist who was among the revivers of a Ciceronian Latin style and is among the usual candidates for the best Latin prose stylist of the Renaissa ...

, ''Orationum'', 2 volumes *1625: Giuliano Bossi, ''Breve trattato d'alcune inventioni'' (2 editions) *1625: Anna Bijns, ''Den gheesteleycken nachtegael'' *1627: John Bromyarde, ''Promptuarium concionatorum, omnibus dominici gregis pastoribus'' *1627:

Trajano Boccalini Trajano Boccalini (155616 November 1613) was an Italian satirist. Biography Boccalini was born in Loreto, the son of an architect, he himself adopted that profession, and it appears that he commenced late in life to apply to literary pursuits ...

, ''Relationi politiche'', published in collaboration with Willem Lesteens (1590-1661), Hieronymus' son-in-law, who was a member of the Guild of Saint Luke since 1612 and would also publish some books under his own name. His company was continued by his son-in-law Engelbert Gymnicus in 1662, but had nearly folded by 1669. *1628:

Zeger van Hontsum Zeger is a Dutch-language masculine given name. It is derived from the Germanic roots "sigi-" (victory) and "-her" (lord).Si ...

, ''Declaratio veridica, quod Begginae nomen'' *1629: Benedictus van Haeften, ''Schola cordis'' *s.d.: Robr. Heusden, ''Rekenboeckxken''

Hieronymus Verdussen II

Son of Hieronymus I. Born in 1583, married in 1617, died in 1653. His name first appears on prints (as "Hieron. Verdussen, de Ionghe") in 1624. In 1630 he obtained an official monopoly on the printing of

almanac An almanac (also spelled ''almanack'' and ''almanach'') is an annual publication listing a set of current information about one or multiple subjects. It includes information like weather forecasts, farmers' planting dates, tide tables, and othe ...

s that was never enforced because of strongly organised opposition from other members of the printing trade. *1643:

Heribert Rosweyde Heribert Rosweyde (20 January 1569, Utrecht – 5 October 1629, Antwerp) was a Jesuit hagiographer. His work, quite unfinished, was taken up by Jean Bolland who systematized it, while broadening its perspective. This is the beginning of the as ...

, ''Het leven ende spreucken der vaderen'' *1645: Antonius M. Schyrleus de Rheita, ''Ocvli Enoch Et Eliae Sive Radivs Sidereomysticvs'', https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/de/view/bsb10806644?page=2 *1646: Anna Bijns, ''Konstighe refereynen'' *1650: the anonymous pamphlet "Protest van den Brabander, aen de lesers van 't Hollands praatje"

Willem Verdussen

Son of Hieronymus I. Born in 1592, married in 1616, and died in 1667. Mainly known as the printer of the ''Extraordinarissche Post-Tijdinghen'' from March or April 1635 on, as a successor to

Abraham Verhoeven Abraham Verhoeven (1575–1652) was the publisher of the first newspaper of the Southern Netherlands (now Belgium). In 1605 he got his license to print news of military victories in woodblock or copperplate. Thereafter he produced not only prints ...

Nieuwe Tijdinghen ''Nieuwe Tijdinghen'' (in English also known as the ''Antwerp Gazette'') is the contemporary name cataloguers and bibliographers have given to the first Flemish newspaper, which was published without a single fixed title. News was printed from acr ...

, the first newspaper in the Southern Netherlands. The Post-Tijdinghen ran at least until 1645, but would continue under different titles until 1827. *1619, Johannes David Heemsen, ''Nederduytsche Poëmata'' *1627: ''Ghenuechelijcke ende recreatieve exempelen''

Jakob Verdussen

Jakob Verdussen was the son of Willem Verdussen. He continued his newspaper publications (with varying titles) until 1695, when he sold his company to Hendrik Aertsens III.

Hieronymus Verdussen III and Jan Baptist Verdussen

De Ommegang op de Meir - Gaspar Bouttats

Hieronymus III and Jan Baptist were sons of Hieronymus II. Hieronymus III was born in 1620, married in 1649, and again in 1652, entered the guild in 1657, and died in 1687. Jan Baptist was born in 1625 and died in 1689. They published some works separate, but many together, making it easier to group them together here. *1653: ''Processionale'' (reprint 1670, 1683) *1655:

Diego de Saavedra Fajardo Diego de Saavedra Fajardo (24 August 1648) was a Spanish diplomat and man of letters. Biography He was born in Algezares, in what is now the province of Murcia. After receiving a religious education at Salamanca, he took minor orders, and ...

, ''Idea de un príncipe político cristiano'', reprinted in 1659 and 1677, and included in a set of complete works by Saavedra in 1681 *1659: Arnaud de la Porte, ''Den nieuwen Dictionaris oft Schadt der Duytse en Spaensche Talen'' (3 volumes) *1661:

Thomas Aquinas Thomas Aquinas, OP (; it, Tommaso d'Aquino, lit=Thomas of Aquino; 1225 – 7 March 1274) was an Italian Dominican friar and priest who was an influential philosopher, theologian and jurist in the tradition of scholasticism; he is known wit ...

, ''Commentaria in omnes D. Pauli Apostolis Epistolas'' *1662: ''Graduale romanum'' (reprint 1674, 1691) *1669: Baltasar Gracián, ''Arte de Ingenio'' *1671: Paulus Christinaeus, ''Commentaria in leges municipales Mechlinienses'' and ''Practicarum Quaestionum'' *1672-1673:

Miguel de Cervantes Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (; 29 September 1547 (assumed) – 22 April 1616 NS) was an Early Modern Spanish writer widely regarded as the greatest writer in the Spanish language and one of the world's pre-eminent novelists. He is best kno ...

, ''

Don Quixote is a Spanish epic novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally published in two parts, in 1605 and 1615, its full title is ''The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha'' or, in Spanish, (changing in Part 2 to ). A founding work of West ...

'', 2 volumes *1674: Miguel de Barrios, ''Flor de Apolo'' and ''Las poesias famosos'' *1675: Antonio Pérez, ''Institutiones Imperiales Erotematibus distinctae'' *1675: Franciscus van der Zype, ''Opera omnia'', 2 volumes *1676: Melchior de la Cerda, ''Camporum eloquentiae in causis'' *1676: Augustine of Hippo, ''La ciudad de Dios'' *1680: Augustine of Hippo, ''De doctrina christiana'' *1680:

François Pomey François () is a French masculine given name and surname, equivalent to the English name Francis. People with the given name * Francis I of France, King of France (), known as "the Father and Restorer of Letters" * Francis II of France, Kin ...

, ''Novus candidatus rhetoricae'', reprinted 1686 *1681: Prudencio de Sandoval, ''Historia de la Vida y Hechos del Emperador Carlos V'' *1681:

Mateo Alemán : ''Aleman is sometimes used to refer to German.'' Mateo Alemán y del Nero (September 15471615?) was a Spanish novelist and writer. Biography Alemán was born in Seville, Andalucía, where he graduated from the University in 1564. He later st ...

, ''

Guzmán de Alfarache ''Guzmán de Alfarache'' () is a picaresque novel written by Mateo Alemán and published in two parts: the first in Madrid in 1599 with the title , and the second in 1604, titled '. The works tells the first person adventures of a ''picaro'', a ...

'': reprinted in 1686 *1683:

Thomas à Kempis Thomas à Kempis (c. 1380 – 25 July 1471; german: Thomas von Kempen; nl, Thomas van Kempen) was a German-Dutch canon regular of the late medieval period and the author of '' The Imitation of Christ'', published anonymously in Latin in the ...

, ''De Imitatione Christi'' *1684:

Juan Eusebio Nieremberg Juan Eusebio Nieremberg y Ottín (1595 – 7 April 1658) was a Spanish Jesuit and mystic. Nieremberg was born and died in Madrid, but his parents were German. He studied the classics at the Royal Court, he studied science at Alcalá and ca ...

, ''De la diferencia entro lo temporal y eterno'' *1686:

Everard Bronchorst Everard is a given name and surname which is the anglicised version of the old Germanic name Eberhard. Notable people with the name include: People First name *Everard Aloysius Lisle Phillipps (1835–1857), English East India officer awarded the V ...

, ''De diversis regulis juris antiqui'' *1687:

Cornelius a Lapide Cornelius Cornelii à Lapide (''né'' Cornelis Cornelissen van den Steen; 18 December 1567 – 12 March 1637) was a Flemish Catholic priest. He was a Jesuit and exegete of scripture. Life He was born at Bocholt, in Belgian Limburg. He studi ...

, ''Commentaria'', 6 volumes (published by the widow and sons of Hieronymus, republished some times over the next decades) *1687: Alonso Nuñez de Castro, ''Corona gothica, castellana, y austriaca'' *1688:

Lucas Fernández de Piedrahita Lucas Fernández de Piedrahita (1624, Bogotá – March 29, 1688) was a Spanish Neogranadine Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Panamá (1676–1688) ''(in Latin)'' and the Bishop of Santa Marta (1668–1676).Arzobispo de Pan ...

, ''Historia general de las Conquistas del Nuevo Reyno de Grenada''

Jan Baptist Verdussen II

The son of Jan Baptist Verdussen, born in 1659, died in 1759 nearly 100 years old. Printed mainly reprints from earlier Verdussen publications. *1695:

Francis Sylvius Francis Sylvius (1581, in Braine-le-Comte, County of Hainaut, Hainault, now in Belgium – 22 February 1649, at Douai) was a County of Flanders, Flemish Roman Catholic theologian. Life After completing his course of humanities at Mons, he st ...

, ''Opera omnia, sex tomis comprehensa'' (6 vols.) *1728:

Antonio de Herrera y Tordesillas Antonio de Herrera y Tordesillas (1549 – 28 March 1626 or 27 March 1625) was a chronicler, historian, and writer of the Spanish Golden Age, author of ''Historia general de los hechos de los castellanos en las Islas y Tierra Firme del mar ...

, ''Historia general de los hechos de los Castellanos'' (1728, 4 vols.)

Hieronymus Verdussen V

Son of Hieronymus III. Born 1650, entered the guild 1683, died 1717. *About 1700: ''Reynaert den Vos oft der Dieren Oordeel'' *1707-1730: ''Nieuwen almanach ofte aenwyser der daghen voor het jaer'' (continued by Martinus Verdussen) *1710: P. Suetmans, ''Het Brussels Moeselken pijpende verscheyden vermaeckelijcke liedekens''

Hendrik and Cornelis Verdussen

Cousins of Jan Baptist Verdussen II. Hendrik was the second son of Hieronymus III, born in 1653, married in 1689, entered the guild in 1691 and died in 1721. Cornelis was born in 1661, entered the guild in 1692 and died in 1728. They printed many reprints of earlier Verdussen publications as well. *1688: Pierre-Paul Billet, ''Arte para aprender la Langua Francesca'' *1699:

Francisco de Quevedo Francisco Gómez de Quevedo y Santibáñez Villegas, Knight of the Order of Santiago (; 14 September 1580 – 8 September 1645) was a Spanish nobleman, politician and writer of the Baroque era. Along with his lifelong rival, Luis de Góngora ...

, ''Obras'', 3 volumes *1701: Famianus Strada, 'Primera decada ..' and ''Segunda decada de las guerras de Flandes'', third impression *1707:

André Tacquet André Tacquet (23 June 1612 Antwerp – 22 December 1660 Antwerp, also referred to by his Latinized name Andrea Tacquet) was a Brabantian mathematician and Jesuit priest. Tacquet adhered to the methods of the geometry of Euclid and the phi ...

, ''Opera mathematica, demonstrata et propugnata'' *1708:

Hendrik Goltzius Hendrick Goltzius, or Hendrik, (; ; January or February 1558 – 1 January 1617) was a German-born Dutch printmaker, draftsman, and painter. He was the leading Dutch engraver of the early Baroque period, or Northern Mannerism, lauded for his s ...

, ''Icones Imperatorum Romanorum'' (4 volumes, the fifth appeared nearly a century later) *1708:

Peter Paul Rubens Sir Peter Paul Rubens (; ; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish artist and diplomat from the Duchy of Brabant in the Southern Netherlands (modern-day Belgium). He is considered the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque tradi ...

, '' Palazzi di Genova'' (originally published in 1622) *1718:

, ''Commentaria in omnes Veteris et Novi Testamenti libros'' *s.d., ''Le cabinet des plus beaux portraits ... peints par Van Dyck'', 126 portrait gravures *s.d., ''Theatrum pictorium Davidis Teniers'' (probably 1684)

Cornelis Verdussen II

Son of Hendrik Verdussen. Born in 1706, married 1730, died in 1748. He was the

Grand Almoner An almoner (} ' (alms), via the popular Latin '. History Christians have historically been encouraged to donate one-tenth of their income as a tithe to their church and additional offerings as needed for the poor. The first deacons, mentioned ...

of Antwerp in 1738.

Jan Baptist Verdussen III

Born in 1698. Alderman of Antwerp, member of the Académie impériale et royale des Sciences et Belles-Lettres de Bruxelles, and best known as a writer of history and a bibliophile. He wrote an ''Index chronologicus rerum Antverpiensium'' in 25 volumes, and an ''Index alphabeticus rerum Antverpiensium'' in 8 volumes. After his death in 1773, his library was sold in 1776: this contained next to a rich collection of works on national history and a number of incunables also a collection of prints of the works of

, Anthony van Dyck, e.a.

Hieronymus Verdussen VI

The son of Hieronymus Verdussen V, entered the guild in 1717, died before 1779.

Martinus Verdussen

*1730-1739: ''Nieuwen almanach ofte aenwyser der daghen voor het jaer'' (continuation of the yearly almanach published by Hieronymus IV) *1741: Adrianus Poirters, ''Het masker vande wereldt''

Cornelis III F. Verdussen

Active around 1753-1765.

Hieronymus Verdussen VII

Hieronymus Jan Verdussen, active around 1776, died in 1794. *1793-1794: ''Directorium Antverpiense'': continued by his widow until 1797

Peter Antoon Verdussen

Son of Cornelis II, born in 1737, married in 1767, died in 1790. His widow continued the company until she sold the machines in 1834.

Jan Paul Verdussen

Son of Cornelis II, born in 1738, died without issue in 1803. Entered the guild in 1766, became dean of the guild in 1779. Alderman of Antwerp in 1790.

Hendrik Peter Verdussen

Hendrik Peter (or Henri Pierre, as he was also known) Verdussen was born in Antwerp on 14 August 1778 as the son of Peter Antoon. He worked in his youth in the publishing shop of his father. His library of over 6000 items was sold after his death in 1857, ending the history of the publishing house of Verdussen. His brother Frans Antoon (1783-1850) was a member of Parliament, a Knight in the Order of Leopold, and a writer who was a leading member of the

Flemish Movement The Flemish Movement ( nl, Vlaamse Beweging) is an umbrella term which encompasses various political groups in the Belgium, Belgian region of Flanders and, less commonly, in French Flanders. Ideologically, it encompasses groups which have sought ...

around 1840. After the Belgian Revolution in 1830, he became Mayor of Antwerp for two days, and afterwards served as Alderman of the city.

Notes

Sources

* * * *{{cite book, last=Le Clercq, first=Léopold, title=Les Verdussen, imprimeurs-libraires et bibliophiles anversois, year=1933, publisher=leClercq, pages=129
Short Title Catalogue Vlaanderen
a database of books printed in Flanders in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries Belgian printers Businesspeople from Antwerp Book publishers (people) of the Spanish Netherlands