Mappe-Monde pour connoitre les progres & les conquestes les plus Remarquables des Provinces-Vnies….

Scarce c.18th hand coloured engraved double-hemisphere world map describing the voyages and discoveries made by the Dutch East India Company and other trading companies from 1598.

This was the year after Frederick de Houtman returned from the first Dutch voyage, to the East Indies with a load of spices, leading to the creation of the VOC. While this map was originally issued in 1670, neither the cartographer nor the source of that map is known. The plate was later obtained by Chatelain who retained the original geographic features and text but added numerous decorative elements, making it visually more attractive than the original. The known continents and principal countries are labelled while other places are numbered according to a reference list contained within the four panels adorning each corner of the map. The central cartouche depicts the Dutch Maiden holding a horn of plenty and a staff with a Cap of Liberty while seated in the symbolical Garden of Holland, or Hollandse Tuin, which is enclosed by a wattle fence. The garden symbolised the liberated Netherlands after the revolt against Spain and the formation of the Dutch Republic in 1581.The Dutch Republic Lion stands protecting the gate to the garden and holds in one paw a sword and in the other, a cluster of arrows representing the Seven United Provinces of the Netherlands. Another depiction of the lion appears in a circular emblem situated at the top of the map between the two hemispheres. Tracks of a number of explorers are shown as well as an outdated route to the Indies traversing north-east across the Indian Ocean in a direct path to Java. By 1617, all VOC ships travelling to the East Indies were required to take the route pioneered by Hendrik Brouwer in 1611 which took advantage of the prevailing strong westerly winds known as the Roaring Forties by sailing in a south-easterly direction and then turning due north to Java on nearing the Australia coast. Australia is shown with the discoveries made by Abel Tasman on his first and second voyages 1642-44.

From: Chatelain,  Atlas Historique, ou, Nouvelle introduction istoire  la Chronologie & la Geographie Ancienne & Moderne.