John of Westphalia

John of Westphalia was the first printer in Alost and Louvain. In Alost he worked in partnership with Thierry Martens, during the late 1473 and early 1474. He arrived in Alost in 1472, with some matrices of Round Gothic and Roman types which he had acquired in Venice. In 1474 John migrated to Louvain and introduced printing to that town which later became the most important center of printing, after Antwerp, in the Low Countries. The first book known to have been issued in Louvain was the Commentariolus de pleuresi by Antonius Guainerius. John continued to print until 1496 during which time he printed about one hundred and eighty books. Most of his editions were those of the classics, selected with reference to the requirements of the University of Louvain, from which he received the honorary title of Master of Printing. After his death, hios shop was acquired by his former partner Thierry Martens.