Even in the mid-eighteenth century the complete outline of the Australian continent was only guessed at. Southern Tasmania was firmly on the map but the connection between it and the known South West coast was fanciful.
This map includes the coasts discovered and charted more than a century earlier by a series of Dutch navigators including Tasman (Van Deimen's Land, the West Coast of New Zealand) and Janzoon (West Coast of Cape York Peninsula).
The conjectural East coast of Cape York stops short of connecting to New Guinea, unlike many other maps of the time. In reality, Luís Vaz de Torres, who sailed with Pedro Fernandes de Quiros , had passed through the straits between New Guinea and Australia in 1606. However, the Spanish had suppressed his report in the hope of maintaining power via geographic secrecy and its existence was only confirmed by Cook on this first voyage in 1770.
Vaugondy has also attributed the land Terre du St. Esprit, (Australia del Espiritu Santo) discovered by Fernandes de Quiros in 1605, to the fanciful North East coast. This land was actually the island of Vanuatu which is over one thousand miles from the Australian coast.
Reproduced from the original chart, then hand coloured in the style of the period and digitally printed on high quality 300gsm coated canvas - stretched on a 3 cm thick frame from FSC certified wood.
Ready to hang with hanging hardware included.
Shipped in protective packaging and a strong box to ensure no damage during transportation.
