The publishing house Aux quatre vents, established in 1548 by Hieronymus Cock and his wife Volcxken Diericx, transformed the production of prints into a structured industry. Operating from Antwerp, Cock shifted the medium from solitary artisan labor to a commercial model defined by the division of labor, eventually issuing over 1,100 prints before his death in 1570.
Early Career and Roman Influence
Born in Antwerp in 1518, Cock emerged from an artistic lineage including his father, Jan Wellens de Cock, and his brother, Matthys. He earned his credentials as a master painter within the Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke in 1545. His subsequent residency in Rome from 1546 to 1547 proved pivotal, exposing him to Italian High Renaissance techniques that he later exported to Northern Europe through his business ventures.
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Following his return to Antwerp, Cock focused on the commercial distribution of visual media. His firm collaborated with prominent artists such as Frans Floris, Pieter Brueghel the Elder, and Hieronymus Bosch, while employing skilled engravers like Giorgio Ghisi and Philip Galle. Beyond pure art, he prioritized military mapping, securing a publishing license in 1549 and later co-producing a significant 1562 map of America with Diego Gutiérrez.
Artistic Canon and Legacy
Before his death at age 52, Cock orchestrated the production of 'Pictorum aliquot celebrium Germaniae inferioris effigies', a seminal collection of 23 portraits of Netherlandish artists. Though he passed away in 1570, his widow, Volcxken, managed the firm until 1601. This publication established a foundational canon for regional artists that predated later historical compilations, cementing his influence on the European print market.
Fast facts
- Born: 1518, Antwerp
- Died: 1570, Antwerp
- Primary occupations: Art dealer, engraver, publisher
- Notable business: Aux quatre vents
- Cartography: Collaborated on 1562 Map of America
- Guild membership: Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke
- Total prints issued: Over 1,100
- Successor: Philip Galle
Questions readers ask
What was the significance of the publishing house Aux quatre vents?
It moved printmaking from individual craft to an industry based on the division of labor, spreading Italian Renaissance styles throughout Northern Europe.
Did Hieronymus Cock produce his own art?
Yes, although primarily a publisher, he was an active etcher who created 62 plates, including a series of 12 landscape etchings in 1558.
Achievements
- Movement: Renaissance
