A publishing entrepreneur in Leiden
Born in 1659, Pieter van der Aa (sometimes Gallicized as Pierre van der Aa) began his apprenticeship with a bookseller at the age of nine. In 1682, he founded his own publishing, printing, and auction house in Leiden. His business was a family affair: he collaborated with his brothers Baudouin, a printer, and Hildebrand, an engraver.
His commercial success enabled him to obtain prestigious official positions: he was appointed printer of the Walloon college in 1694, then printer of the city and Academy of Leiden in 1715. An expert in the art of compiling and re-editing works, Van der Aa specialized after 1700 in works of geography, botany and antiquities.
The Pleasant Gallery of the World
Pieter van der Aa's most monumental work is undoubtedlyThe Pleasant Gallery of the WorldPublished around 1728-1729, this colossal collection is divided into 66 volumes (often bound into about twenty volumes) and contains approximately 3,000 to 4,000 plates. It includes:
- Very accurate geographical maps.
- Panoramic views of cities, ports and fortresses.
- Illustrations of the customs, clothing and antiquities of peoples across the four parts of the universe.
This monumental work, printed in only 100 copies, is now extremely rare. Van der Aa incorporated engravings by renowned masters such as Luyken, Mulder, and Goerée, often adding his own distinctive decorative borders.
Travel collections and atlases
Besides itsGalleryPieter van der Aa published important collections of travel narratives, including:
- Versameling der gedenkwaardigste Zee en Land Reysen(1707), a collection of voyages to the East and West Indies in 28 volumes.
- THENew Atlas, later reissued by the firm Covens & Mortier.
- Maps of Africa (Morocco, Madagascar) and works on America (commemorating the voyages of John Smith).
Although many of his maps are improvements or re-editions of existing works, his style is recognizable by the fineness of the engraving and the use of richly decorated cartouches featuring figures and fauna. Pieter van der Aa died in August 1733 in Leiden.
