Richard Blome
Who was Richard Blome?
English engraver, cartographer, and publisher (1635–1705)
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Richard Blome (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Richard Blome (1635–1705) was an English engraver, cartographer, and publisher who worked at a time when geographic knowledge was expanding and there was a growing need for printed maps and illustrated books in England. While not much is known about his personal life, he produced a lot of work and became well-known in the London publishing world in the late seventeenth century. His efforts helped spread geographic and historical knowledge to English readers, which was in high demand among merchants, travelers, and educated gentlemen.
Blome is best remembered for publishing atlases and county maps of England and Wales, often adapting the work of earlier mapmakers. His 1673 book 'Britannia' featured county maps with descriptive text, giving readers both visual and written information about English counties. Though some critics pointed out that Blome often used existing work from mapmakers like John Speed instead of doing original surveys, his publications still reached many people and fulfilled a real need for easily accessible geographic reference books.
Besides maps, Blome also published books on various subjects like heraldry, sports, and natural history. His 1686 book 'The Gentleman's Recreation' covered topics like hunting, hawking, and fishing, mixing practical advice with illustrations. This shows his knack for identifying interests among his readers and creating appealing, affordable books, even though some of the content was not entirely original.
Blome's business practices were sometimes controversial. He was known for seeking subscriptions and dedications from wealthy patrons, promising to acknowledge them in his publications in return for financial support. Although this was a common practice at the time, some contemporaries criticized him for lacking originality and thoroughness. Despite these criticisms, his publications were commercially successful and helped make geographic and recreational literature more available in England.
He died in 1705, leaving behind work that shows the publishing norms and business practices of Restoration and early eighteenth-century England. His maps and books, even if often based on previous work, were widely distributed and influenced how English geography and culture were understood during that important time in the country's history.
Before Fame
Richard Blome was born in 1635 during the reign of Charles I when the English book and map trade was largely based in London and was starting to thrive due to increasing literacy and commercial demand. The seventeenth century saw a significant rise in the creation of printed maps, atlases, and illustrated reference works, thanks to advancements in engraving technology and a growing market among merchants and the gentry.
Not much is known about Blome's early education or apprenticeship, but he likely gained experience in London's publishing and engraving trades before starting his own publishing business. The mid-seventeenth century, with the Civil War and the Restoration of Charles II in 1660, created a setting where printed works about English geography, history, and culture were well-received. Blome made his place in this market by developing the business sense and professional connections that would shape his career.
Key Achievements
- Published 'Britannia' (1673), a notable atlas of English and Welsh county maps that reached a wide readership despite reliance on earlier cartographic sources.
- Produced 'The Gentleman's Recreation' (1686), a widely read illustrated guide to the sporting and leisure pursuits of the English gentry.
- Contributed to the popularization of geographic and topographic literature in Restoration England through accessible and commercially distributed publications.
- Operated as an independent publisher in London during a competitive period in the book trade, sustaining a prolific output across cartography, history, heraldry, and natural history.
- Helped establish the subscription-based patronage model as a viable funding mechanism for large illustrated publishing projects in late seventeenth-century England.
Did You Know?
- 01.Blome's 1673 'Britannia' atlas included county maps that were largely adapted from John Speed's earlier 'Theatre of the Empire of Great Britain,' leading contemporaries to question the originality of his geographic work.
- 02.He operated a subscription model for several of his publications, soliciting payments and dedications from wealthy patrons who were then acknowledged by name within the books themselves.
- 03.His 1686 publication 'The Gentleman's Recreation' covered topics as varied as falconry, horsemanship, and cock-fighting, reflecting the broad sporting interests of the English gentry in the late Stuart period.
- 04.Blome also published works on heraldry and genealogy, catering to the strong interest among the English upper classes in lineage and armorial bearings during the Restoration era.
- 05.Despite frequent criticism from scholars for his reliance on existing sources, Blome's publications were commercially successful and were reprinted and revised multiple times during his lifetime.