Magnum Mare del Zur cum insula California

Magnificent sea Dutch chart published in De Wit’s Orbis Maritimus ofte Zee Atlas in 1675 with north orientated to the left showing a post Tasman East Indies. Based on the prototype by Van Loon issued in 1661 in his Klaer Lichtende Noort-Ster Ofte Zee Atlas, a number of other map makers made near identical charts using the same orientation, including Goos (1666), Doncker (1669) and Seller (1670). De Wit places the decorative title cartouche at lower left which comprises numerous robed figures, birds and trade goods. It’s use as a sea chart is borne by the extensive rhumb lines and compass points. Australia is shown with the Dutch discoveries made up to Tasman’s second voyage 1644, although De Wit fails to include Tasman’s discovery of Tasmania made on his first voyage in 1642-3. The other Dutch discoveries are noted and these include Hartog’s (1616), Houtman’s (1619), van Leeuwin’s (1622), Cartensz’s (1623), Nuyt’s (1627) and de Wit’s (1628). The characteristic feature of Dutch charts of the second half of the seventeenth century is that they were based solely on the results of actual observation. Where that was lacking, no coastlines at all were shown. (Schilder pg 204)