Main (Thompson) Library location: South wing -- Third window. Thierry Martens (c. 1446 - 1534) was born in Aalst, Belgium in 1446 and received his early education from the Guillelmites. Various manuscript colophons indicate that he probably studied under Girardus de Lisa in Venice. In 1473, Martens entered a partnership with printer Johannes de Westfalia, with whom he printed his first known book, a Psalterium by St. Augustine. Two decades later, he established himself in Antwerp, where he published Epistola de insulis nuper inventi – Christopher Columbus' first letter documenting his voyage to North America. By 1501, he transferred his practice to Louvain. Martens was well acquainted with prominent humanist scholars, including Erasmus and Thomas More, and became known as the first humanist printer in Belgium. Additionally, he is credited with introducing italic characters to printers in Belgium. He was also among the first in the region to develop both Greek and Hebrew typesets. Martens retired in 1529 to Aalst, and his practice was continued by his son Petrus Martens. This mark consists of an elaborate anchor combined with the printer's full name, which appears above the Latin word excudebat, indicating Martens' role as printer. Other variations included only his monogram, T.M. In full versions of the device, Martens included quotations from the works of Erasmus, such as Semper sit tibi nixa mens honesto ("Let your mind always rely on virtue"), Sacra haec ancora non fefellit unquam ("This sacred anchor has never failed"), and Ἐν οἴνῳ ἀλήθεια ("In wine there is truth").