Hondius Southeast Asia, highlighted in Gold

Jodocus Hondius, 1606 (1619) :
India Orientalis.  15 x 19.5 inches. An excellent in original color. Highlighted in gold. $5,500.

Southern and Southeast Asian mainland and the Philippines, one of the maps added by the elder Hondius to the Mercator Atlas.

Jodocus’ original, unlatinized name was Joost d'Hondt. He was born in Wakken, Flanders, in 1563, the son of Olivier d'Hondt and Petronella d'Havertuyn. The father was an architect and alderman. In 1565 the family moved to Ghent. Jodocus had great talent for drawing and calligraphy, which he pursued, and with his father's help he studied mathematics, Greek, Latin, and the Lutheran faith. He developed a fine reputation as an engraver, as well as being highly regarded for his drawing and calligraphy. The Duke of Parma offered Jodocus the opportunity to continue his studies in Rome, but Jodocus declined the offer, probably for reasons of religious conflict. Ironically, the Duke of Parma subsequently captured Ghent; many Protestants were forced to flee, with Jodocus being among them. He and his sister, Jacomina, left for England, where the Protestant faith already had official sanction. Nothing is known to survive from Jodocus' early Flemish period.

In London, he carried on as an engraver and instrument-maker, as well as a maker of maps and portraits. He became closer to the map trade when, in 1587, he married Coletta van den Keere, sister of the famous engraver Petrus Kaerius; Jodocus' sister had, in fact, already married Petrus Montanus (Pieter van den Berghe).

Hondius returned to the Continent in 1593, setting up shop in Amsterdam. Amsterdam had both become an artistic/scientific/cartographic center, and had become politically safer for those of Hondius’ religious convictions. Here he was successful as a maker of large wall maps and of globes, for which he had obtained, in 1597, the privilege from the Staten Generaal. Together with his brother-in-law Kaerius he engraved the small work Caert Thresoor. It was in Amsterdam that he became associated with Gerard Mercator, eventually leading to Jodocus' acquisition of Mercator's plates in 1604 and publishing of his complete atlas in 1606. Jodocus Hondius died suddenly in February of 1612; the publishing firm was continued by his widow, then by his sons Jodocus Jr. and Henricus, and his son-in-law, J. Jansson.