Janssonius, Jan

(1588 - 1664)

Janssonius, Johannes (Jansson, Jan) (1588-1664) was a Dutch cartographer who lived and worked in Amsterdam in the 17th century. He was born in Arnhem the son of a publisher and bookseller. In 1612 he married the daughter of Jodocus Hondius and produced his first maps in 1616 of France and Italy. In the 1630's he formed a partnership with his brother in law Henricus Hondius, and together they published atlases as Mercator/Hondius/Jansson. 1646 saw the first publication of his "English County Maps" which had been preceded by earlier British maps published in the Mercator/Hondius/Jansson atlases. Janssons maps are very similar to those of Willem Blaeu, and he is often accused of copying from his rival.

His works include

“Sueciæ, Norvegiæ et Daniæ Nova Tabula”, Amsterdam ca 1652. Hand colored engraving, 47*55cm.

“Tabula exactissima Regnorum Sueciæ et Norvegiæ” (1636) which replaced Hondius II. 1613

“Episcopatum Stavangriensis, Bergensis et Asloiensis” Amsterdam 1636 – 1642 Contemporary hand colored engraving, 40*49cm. The first map to show the Oslo fjord by name. This nice map shows Southern Norway with the Stavanger bishopric and the adjoining area of the Bergen and Oslo bishoprics.