Johannes Janssonius (approx. 1588-1664) came from a family of printers and publishers and learned the book printing trade at an early age. In 1612 he married the daughter of Jodocus Hondius and thus became a member of one of the most important publishing families in the Netherlands. He grew their publishing house in the fields of geography and cartography and published newly compiled world, sea and city atlases, always competing with the Blaeu publishing house. His main works were the 'Atlas Majoris Appendix' (1639), the six-volume 'Atlas Novus' (1638 ff.) and the monumental 'Atlas Major' comprising eleven volumes (1647).