Portret van de uitgever Christoffel Plantijn, op 74-jarige leeftijd 1588

This engraving of Christoffel Plantijn at the age of 74, was made by Wierix in the late 16th or early 17th century. The portrait encapsulates Plantijn's life as a scholar-printer in Antwerp, a city that was then at the heart of the printing revolution. Notice the symbol of the compass, signifying precision and measure, appropriate to the man who ran what was probably the largest printing business in Europe. The cultural significance of Plantijn’s press cannot be overstated. His editions made knowledge more accessible and contributed to the intellectual ferment of the Renaissance. But it was an institution and a business, too, subject to the economic pressures of the market. The history of printing in Antwerp is therefore intertwined with the broader social and political dynamics of the time. Understanding the historical context of this image requires us to look at a range of resources, from archival records to printed books and visual materials. By doing so, we can gain a richer appreciation of the role of art in reflecting, shaping, and challenging the social structures of its time.