Very rare sea chart of Iceland by Gerard van Keulen

Description

This striking sea chart of Iceland was first published around 1724 in Amsterdam by Gerard van Keulen. It is based on an earlier map by the Dutch explorer and cartographer Joris Carolus, first made around 1620. Van Keulen's version was likely produced for one of the editions of the Nieuwe Lichtende Zee-Fakkel, or “New Shining Sea Torch”, an influential atlas of sea charts first published between 1681 and 1684 by Gerard’s father Johannes van Keulen.

Bridging the realms of maritime and terrestrial cartography, the chart integrates navigational elements such as rhumb lines, coastline details, soundings, and shoal warnings while also offering detailed inland features. It provides a compelling snapshot of Iceland's geography and topography, serving not only as a nautical guide but as a richly illustrated depiction of the island’s landscape.

The chart presents Iceland across four main regions – Noord Lendinga Fiordung, Oost Lendinga Fiordung, Suyd Lendinga Fiordung, and West Lendinga Fiordung. Across these, lakes, rivers, bays, fjords, and capes, as well as glaciers (hokell), are shown with much detail and extensively named. Relief and settlements are rendered pictorially, with towns, bishoprics, and cloisters symbolised through stylised buildings. Skálholt is identified as the “Capital of Iceland” (Hoofdstadt van Ysland).

One striking feature is the dramatic depiction of Iceland’s most famous volcano – Hekla (den Bergh Hekla). It is shown with rising smoke to illustrate its active nature. The corresponding annotation reads: “deese Berg brand niet meer heeft in’t Iaar 1692 opgehouden.” (“This mountain did not cease to burn in the year 1692.”). Perhaps, the reference here is to 1693, instead, when Hekla was active for about seven months, causing much destruction.

A curiosity are the fictional Goubermans islands, shown to the northwest of Iceland. Also noteworthy is the misplaced Artic Circle.

The chart features three compass roses, one of which inland. Two distance scales are displayed at bottom left, with the top one being in German miles, and the bottom one – in English and French miles. Above these, an annotation confirms that the chart was published by Van Keulen in Amsterdam with privilege.

Ultimately, this chart stands as a masterful example of the cartography of its time – an artistic blend of increasing knowledge and traces of imagination.

A superb example of this wonderful and very scarce chart of the “land of fire and ice”.

Publication

Nieuwe Lichtende Zee-Fakkel [?] [1724?]

Condition

Fine.

Printed on a clean sheet, issued folding. Very light vertical crease near right border. Superb early colouring. Two small, faint printer’s smudges, at right border, and left centre. A couple of tiny spots in right margin. Clean verso.

Reference

Hekla. n.d. Iceland On The Web. https://www.icelandontheweb.com/articles-on-iceland/nature/volcanoes/hekla

Hekla – Eruptive History. (2013). Smithsonian Institution. https://volcano.si.edu/volcano.cfm?vn=372070&vtab=Eruptions

Het Eyland Ysland in't groot. n.d. I, Íslandskort.is. https://islandskort.is/map/132

Item #: 02698

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