Mappe Monde ou Description du Globe Terrestre.

Miniature double hemisphere world map with Australia and New Zealand shown according to the discoveries made by Abel Tasman on his two voyages in 1642-1644. Australia’s southern and east coasts are shown according to the theories of the French School of Theoretical Cartography which popularised the notion of an imaginary east coast of Australia extending from Van Diemen’s Land to the Solomon Islands. It was so influential in propogating thiese theories that most cartographers were depicting Australia on their maps accordingly. This error was to remain on charts until James Cook’s finally discovered and charted the east coast of the South Land in 1770.

Tasman’s instructions were contained in the missive of the Governor-General and Council of the Indies to the Heren XVII of 12 December 1642, in which a brief summary of the plan for the voyage was given. The primary objectives of the VOC’s exploratory voyages had always been the opening up of new markets for trade while at the same time the updating of existing charts or creation of new charts. Tasman’s first voyage resulted in the discovery of Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) and New Zealand which gave the southern and eastern geographical limits of the South Land and proved that it was not connected to Terra Australis. The results of the second voyage gave shape to Australia’s northern and northwest coasts. The second voyage charted the northern coast. The shape of Australia on maps was then to remain virtually unchanged, without any significant discoveries until those of James Cook in 1770.