Acamantis Insula, hoggidi Cipro - Coronelli 1696

📜 Description
Copper engraving depicting the entire island of Cyprus, presented in a horizontal layout with a fully developed coastal outline consistent in form and toponymic distribution. The coastline is rendered with a clear and continuous engraved line, carefully articulating promontories, gulfs, and inlets, with particular precision along the northern and eastern shores. The interior features a dense hydrographic network, with rivers drawn in linear and branching forms, while the relief is represented using the conventional “molehill” technique, arranged in sequences that define the island’s main mountain chains.

Toponymy, engraved primarily in Italian with Latin influences, is notably dense and hierarchically structured, distinguishing settlements, coastal features, and minor geographical references. On the left side, a parchment-style cartouche contains a legend listing “Nomi Antichi de’ Luoghi,” providing significant historical-geographical context. The main title cartouche, positioned in the upper left and framed by vegetal ornamentation, includes the island’s designation and dedication, while in the lower right a richly engraved decorative ensemble combines an armorial device with a scale bar enclosed within an ornate cartouche of refined execution.

📚 Historical-Artistic Note
Vincenzo Maria Coronelli, cosmographer of the Republic of Venice and a leading figure in late 17th-century European cartography, is distinguished by the balance between scientific rigor and refined engraving. His Venetian workshop represents one of the highest expressions of Baroque cartographic production, combining geographical precision with structured decorative elements.

Compared to contemporary cartographic works, Coronelli’s maps stand out for their clarity in spatial construction and their particularly rich toponymic content, placing them among the most comprehensive examples of insular cartography of the period. The integration of historical legend, title cartouche, and heraldic elements reinforces both the documentary and aesthetic value of the map, in line with the Venetian editorial tradition.

📖 Bibliography
See R.V. Tooley, “Maps and Map-Makers”
See P. van der Krogt, “Koeman’s Atlantes Neerlandici”
See studies on 17th-century Venetian cartography

🧾 Technical Sheet
Author: Vincenzo Maria Coronelli
Title: “Acamantis Insula hoggidi Cipro, Posseduta dalla Republica Veneta sin dall’Anno 1571”
Place of publication: Venice
Publisher: Officina di Vincenzo Maria Coronelli
Date: 1696
Technique: Copper engraving (etching)
Subject: Island of Cyprus
Dimensions: sheet 49.5 × 70 cm; plate 46 × 61 cm
Condition: good overall condition

🔍 Condition Report
Paper in good overall condition, with minor age-related wear and light scattered foxing. Central fold as issued. Margins regular. The engraved impression remains clear and well preserved. Hand coloring likely contemporary.