Acquired From: Gowrie Galleries
Colouring: Uncoloured
Condition: Very Good
Confirmed: 28/09/2004
Date Acquired: 30/11/2004
Dealers ID No.: M786 (STK 1491.01)
Description: The Van Keulen family was renowned for their significant contributions to mapmaking and atlas publishing. Their firm, In de Gekroonde Lootsman (In the Crowned Pilot), was established in 1678 by Johannes van Keulen I. In 1680, two years after establishing the business, Johannes secured exclusive rights from the Dutch government to publish sea atlases and pilot guides. That same year, he released De groote nieuwe vermeerderde zee atlas ofte water-werelt (Great New Enlarged Sea Atlas of the Water World), commonly known as Zee Atlas. The following year, he introduced the first two volumes of De Nieuwe lichtende Zee-fakkel (New Shining Sea Torch), often referred to as Zee fakkel. Over the net three years, three more volumes were added to this pilot book series.nIn 1714, a year before Johanness death, his son, Gerard took over the business, continuing to update and reissue his fathers works until his own passing in 1726. The firm was then passed t Gerards son, Johannes II, who solidified the familys legacy by publishing the sixth and final volume of the Zee-fakkel in 1753. This new volume contained previously restricted cartographic information on the East Indies, which had been closely guarded by the Dutch East India Company (VOC). Merchants were required to return maps to the VOC after each voyage to protect the secrecy of trade routes. With the publication of this final volume, such information was made publicly accessible. nThe Zee-fakkel included this chart of the western Australian coastline, stretching from the Swan River to North-West Cape, based on Willem de Vlamingh's explorations in 1696-1697. Following Abel Tasman's voyages in 1642-43 and 1644, Dutch ships frequently made accidental landfalls on the coast of New Holland (todays Australia) throughout the seventeenth century. A notable exception was the deliberate expedition led by Willem de Vlamingh in 1696-97, which marked the last significant Dutch voyage of discovery to New Holland. This expedition offered crucial new insights into the largely unexplored western coast.nIn late 1696, De Vlamingh's fleet sighted Rottnest Island. Over the following weeks, the expedition explored the Swan River area and meticulously charted the coast up to the North West Cape. At Dirk Hartog Island, the explorers found a pewter plate left by Dirck Hartog in 1616, commemorating his earlier visit with the ship Eendracht. To mark his own expedition, De Vlamingh left a pewter plate at the same location, which is now housed in the Western Australian Museum in Fremantle. On Dirk Hartog Island, a small cross is depicted with the inscription: Aan dit kruys heeft men een Tinne Schotel gevonden (at this cross a pewter plate was found) referring to the pewter plate left by Dirk Hartogs ship, in 1616. nThe inset map on this chart depicts Rottnest Island, although the compass rose within the inset is incorrectly oriented, pointing south instead of north.
Engraver: Keulen II, Johannes van (1704-1770)
First published: De nieuwe groote lichtende Zee-fakkel, Vol. 6, Amsterdam: Johannes van Keulen II, 1753
Mapmaker: Keulen II, Johannes van (1704-1755)
Price: A65,111 plus gst
Primary Category: Sea Charts
Purchase Reference: Inv. 2439
Rarity: R2 Very rare – one or two copies appear on the market
References: Cornelis Koeman, The Sea on Paper: The Story of the Van Keulens and Their Sea-Torch (Amsterdam: Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, 1972).
Technique: Copper Engraving
This state: 1753
Website: Click here
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