Gaspard van der Heyden (Latin: Gaspar a Myrica or Amyricius) (Leuven, around 1496 -?, after 1549) was a goldsmith, engraver and builder of globes and mathematical instruments from the southern Netherlands. He engraved the copper plates of Gemma Frisius's famous earthquakes, which also worked with Gerard Mercator. Lifecycle
He was the son of Leuven surgeon Pieter van der Heyden.
From 1524, Van der Heyden was registered as a goldsmith in Leuven, and since 1526 he worked mainly for the city for which he manufactured all kinds of artworks and objects.
Between 1528 and 1530, he engraved a strawberry for Franciscus Monachus, known as an early builder of earth globes. This globe has not been preserved but the letter The Orbis situ ac description, in which the globe was described, has been preserved. After that, Van der Heyden worked with Gemma Frisius for which he grabbed three globes: a 1531 earthquake that was no longer preserved, a second earthquake in 1536, as well as Gerard Mercator, who was preserved in the Globus Museum in Vienna and a heavenly globe in 1537, which Mercator also co-operated and stored in the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. The intense collaboration with Mercator and Gemma Frisius allows with a high probability that Van der Heyden has both learned to engrave in his workplace.
This collaboration resulted in the so-called Leuven School of Instruments with well-finished mathematical instruments. During a visit by the English mathematician John Dee to Leuven, Van der Heyden was mentioned by him in one breath with the great Leuven scientists of the time.
A final track from Van der Heyden was found in 1549 when a gold-plated silver bead engraved by him was handed over to Philip II, the future king of Spain, at his visit to Leuven. Literature Externe link
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