This very early commemoration, in mosaic tile, of the discoveries of Abel Tasman was first laid on the floor of the Civic Hall in the Stadt Huys in Amsterdam in 1648, only four years after Tasman's second voyage. It consists of the world in two hemispheres, either side of the northern night sky. Vennekool's magnificent engraving was first published in Jacob van Campen's work on the Stadt Huys, 'Afbeelding van't Stadt Huys van Amsterdam' (1661).

It was followed by a second depiction of Tasman's discoveries on a floor at the entrance to the Mitchell Library in Sydney, Australia.

The mapmaker
Abel Jansz. Tasman (c1603-1659), was the first European explorer to reach and map the coastlines of Tasmania and New Zealand. After a series of shipwrecks had revealed some of the western coast of Australia, he was chosen by Anthony van Diemen, governor-general of the Dutch East Indies, to lead a voyage of discovery to the south, in 1642. The intention was to find a sea route south of Nuyts land, and east across the Pacific to South America. In his ships, the 'Heemskerck' and 'Zeehaen', over a course of ten months, Tasman mapped the coast of southwest Tasmania, the west coast of New Zealand, and the island groups of Tonga and New Guinea. On a second voyage, in 1644, Tasman and crew surveyed the southwest coast of New Guinea, and much of Australia's northern coastline, as shown here.

Although the longed for southern sea route was not found,… the easterly's were too strong, Tasman was awarded the rank of commandeur on his return, and a pay rise was backdated to the beginning of his first voyage. Subsequently, Tasman was "appointed to the Council of Justice at Batavia. In mid-1647 he was sent on a mission to the King of Siam and was granted precedence over all Dutchmen in the kingdom. After that mission, he was given command of a fleet of eight vessels which sailed in May 1648 against the Spaniards. His conduct in this operation was unsatisfactory and, after his return in January 1649, proceedings were taken against him for having, when inflamed by liquor, treated one of his sailors in a barbarous way; as a result, he was removed from office during the governor-general's pleasure. He was formally reinstated in January 1651, but not long afterwards retired from the service and became a merchant in Batavia. He died there in affluent circumstances in 1659" (Forsyth).