De nieuwe groote lichtende Zee-fakkel

Johannes van Keulen I established In de Gekroonde Lootsman as one of Amsterdam’s maritime publishing houses, producing charts, pilot books, and sea atlases for practical navigation.

This title page, dated 1709 and signed by Jan Luyken, belongs to vol. 1 of De nieuwe groote lichtende Zee-fakkel.

It presents the pilot guide as a source of light and guidance amid the dangers of the sea.

A central female figure stands on a rocky shore holding a terrestrial globe in one hand and a flaming torch in the other.

The globe signals geographical knowledge, while the torch gives visual form to the title Zee-fakkel, presenting the pilot guide as a light for mariners.

She stands before dark, storm-laden clouds, making the contrast between illumination and danger central to the image.

Below her, the sea is crowded with allegorical figures and maritime symbols.

Mercury, wearing his winged helmet and carrying the caduceus, rides a sea creature through the waves, suggesting swift movement, communication, and maritime commerce.

A mermaid holds an anchor, symbolising secure mooring and safety.

Nearby, another figure holds a mirror, an emblem of truth and clarity, while a figure blowing a sea horn calls attention across the water.

These details present the Zee-fakkel as a protective and instructive work.

The pilot guide is imagined as a beacon that helps sailors pass through storms, uncertain waters, and the hazards of oceanic travel.

The title page is less about geographical display than about reassurance: its imagery promises that charts, sailing directions, and navigational knowledge can guide vessels safely through danger.

This title page is closely connected with the more scholarly title page to vol. 2 (145) and the French-language example (204).