Mar di India.

Superb map of the Indian Ocean from the first published sea atlas showing the extent of Dutch influence from Africa to the East Indies at the height of the VOC’ power.

Finely engraved and embellished with an ornate title cartouche comprised of four robed figures and a scale surrounded by putti. The Dutch discoveries on the west and southern coasts of Australia by Hartog 1616, Houtman 1619, van Leeuwin 1622, Nuyts 1627 and de Wit 1628 are shown, as are those by Carstensz 1623 on Cape York Peninsula. Although the map was printed several years after Abel Tasman’ first and second voyages 1642-44, Tasman’ discoveries are not shown.

As official VOC cartographers 1633-1705, the Blaeus had access to all the charts, maps and journals provided by captains and pilots sailing to and from the East Indies. However, there was a clear financial benefit as commercial map publishers in restricting the flow of new information, not only to prevent knowledge of discoveries getting into the hands of their competition, but also to alleviate the need to regularly update their own maps and atlases. An example of this cost-saving measure is their figured map of Asia which was first printed in 1617 and remained virtually unchanged for forty years. The first printed map to show Tasman’ discoveries was the very rare, large world map originally made by Willem Blaeu in 1619 and revised by his son Joan Blaeu in 1645-6, of which only two examples are known. In 1648 Joan Blaeu made a new, large wall chart incorporating Tasman’ discoveries of which eleven examples are known. Another two large wall maps showing the same discoveries were produced by Plancius in 1651 and Allard in 1652. All of these maps were made in very small numbers and had a limited influence on the propagation of Tasman’ discoveries. Not until the publication of Visscher’ world map Orbis Terraum Nova et Accuratissima Tabula, published in Jansson’ Nova Atlas in 1658, did these discoveries reach a wider audience.

From Atlantis Majoris Quinta Pars, Orbem Maritimum.

References: Clancy p.80, ill.map.6.9, Clancy (R) p.77, ill.pp.82-83, McMahon p.6, ill.p.6, Parry 109-110, ill.pl.4.22, Perry 25, Quirino p.106, Schilder 45, ill.333, Tooley 747, Tooley Pg 200-16, ill. pl.125.