Johann Veldener

Johann Veldener (born in Würzburg, died in Leuven between 1486 and 1496), also known as Jan Veldener or Johan Veldenaer; was an early printer in Flanders. He worked as a punchcutter and printer in Cologne, together with William Caxton, who may have financed his first books. They both left for Flanders in 1472. Evidence indicates that Veldener assisted Caxton in setting up his printing office in Bruges and helped printing his first work there, the 1472-1473 Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye by Raoul Lefèvre. Afterwards, Veldener went to Leuven and set up his printing company there, becoming the second printer in Leuven after John of Westphalia, and the third or fourth in the Netherlands. He entered the Leuven University on 30 July 1473 in the faculty of Medicine.[1]

He left Leuven in 1477, after the death of Charles the Bold caused unrest in the city, and went to Utrecht. When that city also became troubled, he left for Culemborg, and finally returned to Leuven in 1484.[2]

Veldener was also known for creating typefaces, both for his own work and for others, and Caxton is believed to have taken one of Veldener's typefaces with him to England and used it among others on his first edition of the Canterbury Tales. It is probable that he later bought a number of other typefaces from Veldener as well.[3][4]

While in Utrecht, Veldener also supposedly wrote a Chronyck van Hollandt, Zeelandt, ende Westvrieslandt (a Chronicle of Holland, Sealand, and Western Friesland), which was reprinted in 1650 in Utrecht. Other works attributed to him are the Cronijcken van Enghelant (a chronicle of the English kings until 1460), Cronijcken van Utrecht (a history of the Bishopric of Utrecht), Cronijcken van Gelre, Cronijcken van Cleve and the Cronijcken van Brabant. Currently it is believed that these works were anonymous and printed by him, and that the later attributions to him as writer are erroneous.[5]

Works printed by Veldener

In Cologne (1471-1472)

In Leuven (1473-1477)

1473

1474

1475

1476

1477

In Utrecht (1478-1481)

1478

1479

1480

In Culemborg (1483-1484)

1483

1484

In Leuven again (1484-1487?)

1484

1485

1486

1487

Notes

  1. ↑ Blake, Norman Francis (2003). William Caxton and English Literary Culture. Continuum International Publishing Group. p. 328. ISBN 9781852850517. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
  2. ↑ Padmos, Tineke; Geert Vanpaemel (2000). De geleerde wereld van Keizer Karel (in Dutch). Leuven University Press. p. 308. ISBN 9058670716. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
  3. ↑ Hellinga, Lotte; J. B. Trapp (1999). The Cambridge History of the Book in Britain Volume 3. Cambridge University Press. p. 832. ISBN 9780521573467. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
  4. ↑ "Caxton's Chaucer 1. The printing type". British Library. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
  5. ↑ Carasso-Kok, Marijke (1981). Repertorium van Verhalende Historische Bronnen uit de Middeleeuwen (in Dutch). Brill Archive. p. 498. ISBN 9789024791323. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
  6. ↑ "Tijd gebonden" (in Dutch). National Library of the Netherlands. Retrieved 8 August 2012.

Further reading

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