Jacob van Deventer (c. 1500/1505–1575) was a pioneering Dutch cartographer of the Renaissance, celebrated for systematically mapping the towns and cities of the Habsburg Netherlands. Born in Kampen, he studied at the University of Leuven, where he was influenced by Gemma Frisius and adopted the technique of triangulation for mapmaking. Van Deventer produced detailed provincial maps including Brabant, Holland and Utrecht, Gelderland, Zeeland, and the northern provinces, combining geographic accuracy with artistic presentation. His most significant work was a vast project commissioned by King Philip II to map over 250 cities across the Netherlands with unprecedented precision and consistency, though these were unpublished at the time due to their military value. His maps served both as decorative wall art and practical military tools. Van Deventer’s cartographic legacy laid foundations for modern mapping and influenced generations of mapmakers.
