The Van Keulen publishing house was one of

Acquired From: Leen Helmink

Colouring: Coloured

Condition: Very Good

Date Acquired: 14/3/2023

Description: The Van Keulen publishing house was one of the most important producers of nautical charts and sea atlases in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. Founded by Johannes van Keulen in Amsterdam in 1678, the firm specialised in hydrographic publications intended for professional mariners, merchants, and naval use, rather than for the encyclopaedic ambitions of terrestrial atlases.nVan Keulens best-known works include the Zee Atlas and the Zee-fakkel (Sea Torch), both issued in multiple volumes and editions. These publications combined practical sailing directions with carefully engraved charts and elaborate title pages that framed navigation as a disciplined science. The imagery commonly blends classical mythology, personifications of the continents, and instruments of measurement, visually reinforcing the authority and reliability of the charts within.nUnlike the Blaeu or Janssonius atlases, Van Keulens works remained closely tied to the needs of active navigation and continued to be updated and reissued well into the eighteenth century. The firm later received official appointments as chartmakers to the Dutch Admiralty, cementing its reputation as a cornerstone of European maritime cartography.nThis titlepage is from the 1726 French edition of Volume three of the Zee fakkel. It depicts a young woman, representing the guiding light of navigation holding a shield bearing a cross and a half-fleur-de-lys, symbols of faith and royalty. She also carries a torch, the "Flambeau de la Mer," illuminating the scene and symbolizing the knowledge and guidance offered by the atlas.nTo her right, Mercury, the swift messenger of the gods, and Neptune, the god of the sea, examine a compass, emphasizing the importance of precise navigation. A female figure sitting to her left her represents Geography, she holds a terrestrial globe and a celestial one is nearby, underscoring the broader context of geographical exploration. Above, wind heads float in the dark clouds, suggesting the ever-changing nature of the weather. Below, a sea battle rages, reminding viewers of the dangers and challenges faced by mariners.

Engraver: Keulen II, Johannes van (1704-1755)

First published: De nieuwe groote lichtende Zee-fakkel, Vol. 3, Amsterdam: Johannes van Keulen I, 1682

Mapmaker: Keulen I, Johannes van (1654-1715)

Notes: Leen mentions in Email 15 March 2023 that RT Van Keulen Sea Atlas from the Wardington Collection see View Record (#312)

Price: 1700

Primary Category: Titlepage

Purchase Reference: Email 15 March 2023. Ledger

Rarity: R2 Very rare – one or two copies appear on the market

Shirley ID #: Not in Courtiers and Cannibals

Technique: Copper Engraving

This state: 1726, French edition