Editing Johann Homann

{{short description|German geographer and cartographer}}
{{more footnotes|date=May 2014}}
[[File:Homann, Johann Baptist (1664-1725).jpg|thumb|Johann Homann]]
'''Johann Baptist Homann''' (20 March 1664 – 1 July 1724) was a German [[geographer]] and [[cartography|cartographer]], who also made maps of the [[Americas]].

== Life ==
Homann was born in Oberkammlach near [[Kammlach]] in the [[Electorate of Bavaria]]. Although educated at a [[Society of Jesus|Jesuit]] school, and preparing for an ecclesiastical career, he eventually converted to [[Protestantism]] and from 1687 worked as a [[civil law notary]] in [[Free Imperial City of Nuremberg|Nuremberg]]. He soon turned to [[engraving]] and cartography; in 1702 he founded his own publishing house.

Homann acquired renown as a leading German cartographer, and in 1715 was appointed Imperial Geographer by [[Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI]]. Giving such privileges to individuals was an added right that the Holy Roman Emperor enjoyed. In the same year he was also named a member of the [[Prussian Academy of Sciences]] in [[Berlin]]. Of particular significance to cartography were the imperial [[printing patent|printing privileges]] ([[Latin]]: ''privilegia impressoria''). These protected for a time the authors in all scientific fields such as printers, [[copper]] engravers, map makers and publishers. They were also very important as a recommendation for potential customers.

In 1716 Homann published his masterpiece ''Grosser Atlas ueber die ganze Welt'' (Grand Atlas of all the World). Numerous maps were drawn up in cooperation with the engraver [[Christoph Weigel the Elder]], who also published ''[[Siebmachers Wappenbuch]]''.

Homann died in Nuremberg in 1724. He was succeeded by his son Johann Christoph (1703–1730).  The company carried on upon his death as ''Homann heirs'' company, managed by Johann Michael Franz and Johann Georg Ebersberger.  After subsequent changes in management the company folded in 1852.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Tooley's Dictionary of Mapmakers, Revised edition, volume 2|last=French|first=Josephine|publisher=Early World Press|year=2001|isbn=0906430194|location=Riverside, CT|pages=361}}</ref> The company was known as "Homann Erben", "Homanniani Heredes", or "Heritiers de Homann" abroad.
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<gallery widths="230px" heights="230px" perrow="6" caption="Maps">
File:Virginia Marylandia et Carolina by Johann Baptist Homann.jpg|''Virginia Marylandia et Carolina'', c. 1714.
File:1730 Homann Map of Scandinavia, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and the Baltics - Geographicus - Scandinavia-homann-1730.jpg|''Homann Map of Scandinavia, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and the Baltics'', dated around 1730.
File:Homann Planiglobii Terrestris Cumutroq Hemisphaerio Caelesti Generalis Exhibitio 1707 UTA.jpg|''Planiglobii Terrestris Cum Utroq[ue] Hemisphærio Cælesti Generalis Exhibitio'', Nürnberg, 1707.
File:Homann Amplissimae Regionis Mississipi c. 1720 UTA.jpg|''Amplissimae Regionis Mississipi'', circa 1720
File:1725 Homann Map of the Caspian Sea and Kamchatka (as Yedso) - Geographicus - CaspianKamchatka-homann-1725.jpg|''Homann Map of the Caspian Sea and Kamchatka'', from 1725.  
File:Homann Schlarraffenlandes 1694 Cornell CUL PJM 1015 01.jpg|''Schlarraffenlandes'', 1694.
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}
* ''Auserlesene und allerneueste Landkarten: der Verlag Homann in Nürnberg 1702–1848: eine Ausstellung des Stadtarchivs Nürnberg und der Museen der Stadt Nürnberg mit Unterstützung der Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin-Preussischer Kulturbesitz im Stadtmuseum Fembohaus vom 19. September bis 24. November 2002''. Hrsg. von Michael Diefenbacher, Markus Heinz und Ruth Bach-Damaskinos. Nürnberg: Tümmels, 2002. (''Ausstellungskatalog des Stadtarchivs Nürnberg'', Nr.&nbsp;14). {{ISBN|3-925002-84-7}}
* Christian Sandler (1886, 1890, 1905, Reprints 2001–2002) (biography section considered outdated)

== External links ==
{{commons category|Johann Baptist Homann}}
* Maps of Homann in Denmark [http://www5.kb.dk/maps/kortsa/2012/jul/kortatlas/subject333/da/ online] from the ''Royal Danish Library''.
* [http://www.wdl.org/en/item/11740/ Different Views of the Major Cities in Persia] by Johann Homann
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Homann, Johann}}
[[Category:1664 births]]
[[Category:1724 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Unterallgäu]]
[[Category:17th-century German cartographers]]
[[Category:German geographers]]
[[Category:German Lutherans]]
[[Category:Members of the Prussian Academy of Sciences]]