Jan Jansson

Jan Janssonius was a prominent 17th-century Dutch cartographer who is best known for publishing the Atlas Novus and significantly expanding the Atlas Maior. He worked closely with the Hondius family and rivaled the famous Blaeu publishing firm in Amsterdam. His atlases are considered masterpieces of the Dutch Golden Age of cartography.

Jansson married Elisabeth de Hondius, the daughter of notable cartographer Jodocus Hondius, which intertwined their family map-making businesses. Following Jodocus's death, Jansson continued to publish and expand the Mercator-Hondius atlases alongside Henricus Hondius. Their collaborative works set the standard for European cartography in the mid-17th century.

Yes, Jansson produced highly influential maps of the Americas, including detailed maps of North America and the Caribbean. His map Nova Belgica et Anglia Nova is famous for being one of the earliest detailed depictions of the New England region. These maps were heavily copied and distributed throughout Europe.

The Blaeu and Jansson publishing houses were fierce competitors in 17th-century Amsterdam, often producing remarkably similar maps of the same regions. Willem Blaeu's Theatrum Orbis Terrarum and Jansson's Atlas Novus competed directly for the elite European market. Map collectors today often compare them for their distinct decorative cartouches and minor geographical differences.