Jacob Van Reesbroeck - Portrait of Anna Goos

Anna Goos (1627–1691), was a printer and co-manager of ''Officina Plantiniana'' (now called

Plantin Press The Plantin Press at Antwerp was one of the focal centers of the fine printed book in the 16th century. History Christophe Plantin (c. 1520–1589) of Touraine was trained as a bookbinder. He fled from Paris where at least one printer had rece ...

) in

Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,

from 1674 to 1681. She prepared her son, Balthasar II Moretus, to run the business, during political and financially turbulent times, such as during the

Franco-Dutch War The Franco-Dutch War, also known as the Dutch War (french: Guerre de Hollande; nl, Hollandse Oorlog), was fought between France and the Dutch Republic, supported by its allies the Holy Roman Empire, Spain, Brandenburg-Prussia and Denmark-Nor ...

(1672–1678) and the financial collapse in Spain that affected their largest client, the

Hieronymite The Hieronymites, also formally known as the Order of Saint Jerome ( la, Ordo Sancti Hieronymi; abbreviated OSH), is a Catholic cloistered religious order and a common name for several congregations of hermit monks living according to the Rule o ...

Fathers of San Lorenzo in Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. Her leadership helped prevent the business from closing down during these times.

Biography

Goos was raised in an aristocratic family. She married Balthasar II Moretus when she was eighteen and he was thirty. Balthasar was the son of

Jan II Moretus Christophe Plantin ( nl, Christoffel Plantijn; – 1 July 1589) was a French Renaissance humanist and book printer and publisher who resided and worked in Antwerp. Life Plantin was born in France, probably in Saint-Avertin, near the city of ...

and Maria De Sweert (1588 - 1655) and the grandson of

Jan Moretus Jan Moretus, also John Moerentorf or Joannes Moretus (2 May 1543 – 22 September 1610), was a Flemish printer who was an apprentice for Christophe Plantin, married his daughter, and later inherited the printing business on his father-in-law ...

and

Martina Plantin Martina Plantin (1550–1616) was involved in her father's printing business from five years of age, and ran the family lace shop from the age of 17. After her father and husband had died, she was the head of the Plantin Press, Plantin-Moretus pr ...

. Like those before him, Balthasar continued to publish

liturgical Liturgy is the customary public ritual of worship performed by a religious group. ''Liturgy'' can also be used to refer specifically to public worship by Christians. As a religious phenomenon, liturgy represents a communal response to and partic ...

books. Although he endeavored to also publish literary and historical books, by the end of his career nearly all of the books that were published were religious books due its profitability. Described as "energetic and capable woman", she took over management of the business in 1673. Her husband died the following year. She provided leadership and training, and worked in partnership, with her son Balthasar III Moretus, so that he could take over running the business. She took over bookkeeping of the firm and addressed a payment crisis. Their major client, the

Fathers of San Lorenzo in Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, suffered under a national financial crisis and were unable to pay their bills beginning about 1675. The monks also had books printed by a low-cost printer who used the ''Officina Plantiniana'' name in their publications. Under her direction, Balthasar traveled to Spain and resolved contractual breaches and negotiated a repayment schedule.See also: Spain in the 17th century Balthasar returned to Antwerp and took over management of ''Officina Plantiniana'' on 17th November 1681. The business also suffered, but did not close, during the

(1672–1678). Goos lived in the Plantin house called the ''Golden Compass'' and selected the artwork and their placement in the house. She wore clothing and her hair was coifed in the style of the day and befitting her station.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Goos, Anna 1627 births 1691 deaths 17th-century printers Flemish printers Flemish publishers Book publishers (people) of the Spanish Netherlands Businesspeople of the Spanish Netherlands 17th-century businesswomen Women printers Women in publishing