Balthasar Moretus

Balthasar Moretus was the head of the Officina Plantiniana, the printing company established by his grandfather Christophe Plantin in Antwerp in 1555.

Balthasar and his brother Jan II came to the helm of the Officina Plantiniana in 1610, after the death of their father Jan. They divided the work in a manner that Jan II was in charge of the bookselling while Balthasar took care of the contacts with the authors and editors of the texts. Jan II died in 1619, and Balthasar started a partnership with Jan van Meurs which lasted until 1629. From then on Balthasar was in charge of the firm and was able to expand their export to Spanish market. He is also known for friendship with Peter Paul Rubens who was also contracted to design title pages and provide other illustrations. Baltahsar also ordered 19 portraits from Rubens.