Anna Maria de Neuf (1654–1714), was a printer and manager of the
Plantin Press
The Plantin Press at Antwerp
Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest ...
in
Antwerp
Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...
, a leading publisher in Antwerp, from 1696 to 1714.
Life
Anna Maria de Neuf was born in Antwerp where she was baptized in the Cathedral on 9 September 1654. She was the daughter of Simon, lord of
Hooghelande, and lady Anna Steymans.
[Jan Baptist van der Straelen, ''Geslagt-lyste der nakomelingen van der vermaerden Christoffel Plantin'',
Janssens, 1858, pp. 40-41] Her family was titled and wealthy. She married
Balthasar III Moretus in July 1673, with wedding celebrations occurring from 9 through 11 July, provided by his father
Balthasar II Moretus and Anna's father, Simon.
Balthasar was the head of ''Officina Plantiniana'' (also known as
Plantin Press
The Plantin Press at Antwerp
Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest ...
) starting in 1674, when he partnered with his mother in running the firm. Her husband died the following year.
Balthasar II died in 1674 after which his mother
Anna Goos provided leadership and training to, and worked in partnership, with her son Balthasar III to run the printing business
until he took over management of ''Officina Plantiniana'' on 17 November 1681.
He primarily produced
liurgical books within the country and Hispanic countries. He received the title of ''jonkheer'' on 1 September 1692 from the
King of Spain
The monarchy of Spain or Spanish monarchy () is the constitutional form of government of Spain. It consists of a Hereditary monarchy, hereditary monarch who reigns as the head of state, being the highest office of the country.
The Spanish ...
.
De Neuf's husband died when she was 42 years of age. She ran the printing press business for 18 years, during which she reduced the number of work hours for her employees. She conducted business throughout the
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict fought between 1701 and 1714. The immediate cause was the death of the childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700, which led to a struggle for control of the Spanish E ...
.
De Neuf was the mother of
Balthasar IV Moretus and
Joannes Jacobus Moretus
Christophe Plantin (; – 1 July 1589) was a French Renaissance humanist and book Printer (publisher), printer and publisher who resided and worked in Antwerp. He established in Antwerp one of the most prominent publishing houses of his time, th ...
.
See also
*
List of women printers and publishers before 1800
This list of women printers and publishers before 1800 includes women active as printers or publishers prior to the 19th century. Before the printing press was invented, books were made from pages written by scribes, and it could take up to a ye ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:de Neuf, Anna Maria
1654 births
1714 deaths
17th-century printers
18th-century printers
Flemish printers
Book publishers (people) from the Spanish Netherlands
Businesspeople from the Spanish Netherlands
17th-century businesswomen
Women printers
Women in publishing