Women in the Business of Print Publishing and Printing in the Late Sixteenth- and Seventeenth-Century Low Countries

At first glance, the publishing and printing of prints in the late sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Low Countries seems to have been dominated by men, who were sometimes succeeded by their widows. By considering print publishers in the context of the family business and going in search of additional source material, this article demonstrates that the reality was not as black and white as the predominantly male names on surviving prints might suggest. As in other sectors, the work of women in print firms is usually hidden behind the name of a male relative. Their contribution often remains unseen or undervalued and is difficult to quantify in print collections like that of the Rijksmuseum Print Room. Widows – usually the most visible group of women – in general made no changes to the (company) name engraved on the plates when publishing prints from the existing stock, which has not enhanced their visibility. Contemporary documents show that their contribution, as well as that of married women, could indeed have been significant. This article contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the print industry, where the predominantly male names can self-evidently imply female participation, which could have been not merely ‘supporting’ but actually essential for keeping the businesses running.