Willem Vorsterman

Willem Vorsterman was an early printer of books, active in Antwerp between 1504 and 1543. In these 39 years of his printing career, Vorsterman published about 400 books in Dutch, Spanish, English, Latin, French and Danish, making him one of the most productive printers in the Netherlands in the first half of the 16th century.

Vorsterman’s earliest production consisted mainly of works of fiction in Dutch, often in small and cheap chapbook format. Later, he expanded into other languages and genres, with more luxurious, illustrated editions. With the success of his printing business, Vorsterman became connected with his colleagues in Ghent, Amsterdam, Leiden, Konstanz, Paris, and other cities. His success is attested by his position in the Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke, which he entered in 1512, by being its dean in 1527 and 1542.