A 17th century map of the trading empire of the Dutch East India Company

A Dutch map of South East Asia, showing India and Japan in the north, and New Guinea and partial sections of the coast of Australia in the south, with cartouches for the title, dedication and scale. The dedication is to Dr. Laurens Real, Governor-General of the VOC (Dutch East India Company) in Batavia 1615-1619, who introduced slave labour into the nutmeg plantations on Amboina. As the official cartographer to the VOC Blaeu had access to the most up-to-date information, although he is known to have supressed knowledge of Australia for thirty years.