De zee-atlas of Water-waerelt…

Acquired From: Leen Helmink

Colouring: Coloured

Condition: Very Good

Confirmed: Yes

Date Acquired: 11/6/2015

Description: Hendrick Doncker was one of the most important independent hydrographers and maritime publishers active in Amsterdam during the Dutch Golden Age. Unlike firms that relied heavily on copying or adapting existing plates, Doncker was recognised by contemporaries for producing original sea charts and pilot guides, based on practical navigational knowledge and up-to-date sources.nDoncker issued a series of maritime atlases under titles including De zee-atlas ofte water-waereld (first published 1659), which combined engraved sea charts with sailing instructions intended for professional mariners. These works were published in multiple editions and states, reflecting both commercial success and the rapidly changing requirements of navigation during the seventeenth century.nThe title pages to Donckers atlases frequently employ classical mythology, allegorical figures, and navigational instruments to assert authority and expertise. Instruments such as the cross-staff and marine astrolabe are prominently displayed, framing navigation as a disciplined science grounded in measurement and observation. Donckers publications occupy a distinctive position within Dutch cartography, balancing practical utility with visual sophistication, and they remain among the most highly regarded original maritime atlases of the period.nThis allegorical title page introduces Hendrick Donckers De zee-atlas ofte water-waereld (first issued 1659), asserting maritime authority through navigational science and classical symbolism. The 1660 edition, of which a single known copy survives at the National Library of Australia, presents a confident visual statement of Donckers maritime expertise and publishing ambition.nAt the centre, two partially draped female figures draw back a curtain bearing the title. One holds a cross-staff, the other a portable marine astrolabe, unmistakable emblems of practical navigation and astronomical measurement. Above them rises a globe, surmounted by Atlas, shown half-kneeling as he bears the celestial sphere, linking seafaring practice to the wider structure of the cosmos.nBehind, a panoramic seascape filled with sailing ships reinforces the atlass practical function for mariners. In the foreground, putti play with navigational objects, while a mermaid and merman introduce elements of marine fantasy and humour. The combination of serious scientific instruments, mythological figures, and playful ornament encapsulates the character of Dutch Golden Age maritime cartography, where utility and visual spectacle were deliberately entwined.

First published: De zee-atlas of Water-waerelt Amsterdam: Henrick Doncker, 1659

Mapmaker: Doncker, Hendrick (1626-1699)

Price: 1,750

Primary Category: Titlepage

Purchase Reference: Ledger 2022

Rarity: R3 Uncommon – dealers can usually obtain a copy

Shirley ID #: 58 Courtiers and Cannibals

Technique: Copper Engraving

This state: 1660