Who was Joan Blaeu?
Joan Blaeu, also called Johannes Blaeu, was a Dutch cartographer who lived from the 23rd of September 1596 to the 21st of December 1673. He inherited his father's post as cartographer to the Dutch East India Company.
Questions about Joan Blaeu
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What made Joan Blaeu's 1648 world map significant?
The map was the first world map to embrace the heliocentric theory and the first to include the discoveries of Abel Tasman. In 1655, the architect Jacob van Campen used its design as the template for the pavement of Amsterdam's new Town Hall, now the Amsterdam Royal Palace.
When did Joan Blaeu publish the Atlas Maior?
Blaeu published the Atlas Maior in 1662. It spanned 11 volumes and included 600 maps, becoming a status symbol and the most expensive book of the 17th century.
Why did Joan Blaeu name New Zealand Nieuw Zeeland?
Blaeu named the land after the Dutch province of Zeeland on his 1648 world map. The anglicized version of that name, New Zealand, is still used today.
How did a fire affect Joan Blaeu's work?
In December 1672, a fire destroyed Blaeu's studio along with all of his work, including a planned cosmology that was never completed.
Where did Joan Blaeu die and who continued his work?
Blaeu died on the 21st of December 1673 in Amsterdam and was buried in the city's Westerkerk. His son, Joan II, continued the family's cartographic work until 1712.