The Van Keulen publishing house was one of

Acquired From: Leen Helmink

Colouring: Coloured

Condition: Fair

Date Acquired: 15/3/2023

Dealers ID No.: 29425

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 1709 Dutch edition of Volume 1 of Zee-fakkel designed and engraved by Jan Luyken. A central female figure, symbolizing knowledge and guidance, holds a terrestrial globe in one hand and a flaming torch in the other. She stands against a backdrop of dark, stormy clouds, suggesting the challenges and uncertainties of seafaring. nBelow her, in the tumultuous waters, Mercury, the swift messenger of the gods, rides a sea monster. Armed with his caduceus and winged helmet, he represents the swift and safe passage of ships. A mermaid, holding an anchor, symbolizes the secure mooring of vessels. Nearby, a figure holds a mirror, an emblem of truth and clarity, while another blows a sea horn, calling mariners to attention.nTogether, these elements convey a powerful message of reassurance to seafarers. The atlas, with its accurate charts and navigational information, is presented as a beacon, guiding sailors through the perils of the sea and leading them safely to their desired ports

Engraver: Luyken, Jan

First published: De nieuwe groote lichtende Zee-fakkel, Vol. 1, Amsterdam: Johannes van Keulen I, 1680

Image Size (cm): 27×50

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

Price: 1,700

Primary Category: Titlepage

Purchase Reference: Email 15 March 2023

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

Sheet size (cm): 31.5×52.8

Shirley ID #: 65A Courtiers and Cannibals

Technique: Copper Engraving

This state: 1709