Gauthier Morberius

Gauthier Morberius
Native name Walther Morbier
Died 1595
Liège
Other names Gualterius Morberius
Occupation printer
Years active 1553–1594
Era handpress
Employer city of Liège; prince-bishop of Liège
Notable work Breviarium in usum sancti Pauli Leodiensis (2 vols., 1560), Statuts et ordonnances touchant le stil et maniere de proceder et l'administration de justice (1572), Philippe Gherinx, Description des fontaines acides de Spa (1583)
Religion Catholic
Children Jeanne, Charles, Catherine, Marie
Relatives Léonard Streel (son-in-law), Christian Ouwerx (son-in-law)

Gauthier Morberius or Walther Morbier (died 1595) was the first printer in the city of Liège, where he was active 1558–1594.[1]

Career

Morberius, probably a native of the county of Loon, began his printing career in Antwerp in 1553 and was active in that city at least until 1555. He was then invited to set up a press in Liège, the first in the city. He was formally appointed printer to the city in 1558. In 1560 he also became official printer to the prince-bishop of Liège, Robert of Berghes (1557–1564). He continued to serve Berghes's successors, Gérard de Groesbeek (1564–1580) and Ernest of Bavaria (1581–1612).

Family

His son, Charles, was deaf and mute and unable to continue the family business, but two of his three daughters wed men who carried on the trade of printing in the city: Catherine married Léonard Streel and Marie married Christian Ouwerx.[2] In 1588 Morberius made out a will bequeathing the business to his son-in-law, Léonard Streel, on condition that he support Charles throughout his life.[3] Morberius died early in 1595. The position of printer to the prince-bishop passed to his other son-in-law, Christian Ouwerx.

Publications

References

  1. Anne Rouzet, Dictionnaire des imprimeurs, libraires et éditeurs des XVe et XVIe siècles dans les limites géographiques de la Belge actuelle (Nieuwkoop, 1975), pp. 154-155.
  2. Michel Hermans s.j., "Le livre liégeois. Stratégies éditoriales au début du XVIIe siècle", in François de Dainville S.J. (1909–1971): pionnier de l'histoire de la cartographie & de l'éducation, ed. Catherine Bousquet-Bressolier (Pairs & Geneva, 2004), 128-129.
  3. S. Bormans, "Généalogie des primeurs imprimeurs liégeois", Le bibliophile belge 1 (1865), 36-37.
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