Plantin had 90 different typefaces, including trendy typefaces from France from the french designers Granjon en Garamond. One of these typesetters is here to present the room to you.

In the print room work both the font setters and the printers. If there were ever tensions between the staff, they could make a complaint. These complaints were all neatly recorded.

Balthasar I and the later generations of Moretus collected books. Thus arose the library, which also served for some time as a private chapel. But this space was, and is, primarily for books.

The printers workshop has exclusive typefaces and typeface-punches to match. At first the typefaces were outsourced. However, from 1622 there was a master type caster at work.

Balthasar I Moretus, the grandson of Christoffel Plantin, made the house a palace. On July 8th 1641, he took his last breath.

Maria Theresa Borrekens took leadership of the business after the death of her husband François-Jean Moretus. The luxury that can be seen in this lounge was to mask the pain of a mother.

Plantin looks back on his life. He is grateful and proud: of his wife, his daughters, his publications and of Antwerp.

Na Plantijns overlijden op 1 juli 1589 schreef Jan Moretus brieven met het nieuws van Plantijns dood aan verschillende mensen. Daarbij waren Christophe d’Assonleville, Gabriel de Çayas, Arias Montanus en deze secretaris van de hertog van Parma, Flaminio Garnier.

brief van Jan Moretus aan Falminio Garnier, 7 juli 1589

(ingelezen door Riyad Moussaoui)

Kerstmis maakte Plantijn niet meer vrijgevig voor zijn dochter. De brief die hij haar op 25 december 1580 schreef, bracht haar niet de gehoopte hulp die ze van haar vader verwachtte.

brief van Christoffel Plantijn aan zijn dochter Madeleine, 25 december 1580

(ingelezen door Hamza El Boujattoui)

Op 27 juni 1570 was Plantijn op 10 juni 1570 benoemd tot koninklijk aartsdrukker of “prototypographus”. Wanneer de hertog van Alva te weten wilde komen wie een bepaald werk had gedrukt, was het dus ook te verwachten dat hij zich wendde tot de koninklijke aartsdrukker.

brieven van Plantijn aan de hertog van Alva, mei 1571

(ingelezen door Marjorie Israel)