Rafael L MarinBiblio.com
NICERON, Jean Francois / MERSENNE, MarinBiblio.com
La Perspective Curieuse.Divisée en Quatre Livres Avec lOptrique et La Catoptrique du R.P. Mersenne
1663Best.-Nr. 1752Paris: Jean du Puis/Widow of Langlois 1663. Scarce edition of this important treatise on perspective by the most scientifically rigorous of 17th-century French theorists of particular interest for its contention that the illustrations to earlier treatises were often defective Millard thus making it the first work on the subject to treat the problem of didactic illustration in a deliberate and self-conscious manner. A comprehensive textbook Book I gives basic geometrical definitions and an introduction to perspective construction; Book II treats simple and deformed perspectivenamely the curved or irregular surfaces found in vaulted ceilings niches etc. and examines the necessary surface distortion anamorphosis to bring a picture painted on such a surface into perspective; Book III deals with more complex cases of anamorphosis such as reflections on flat cylindrical and conical surfaces; and Book IV covers the use of dioptrics for placing figures on flat surfaces. The sections of books II and III dealing with anamorphosis were particularly important whether in Nicerons own practice as a painter or for later artists or theorists see the chapter on Niceron in Baltruaitis and according to Mahoney DSB the discussion of refraction in Book IV possibly contains the first published reference to Descartes derivation of the law of refraction X.104. The work first appeared in French in 1638; reprinted in 1646 and 1651 in the latter with the first appearance of Mersennes treatise. This edition is a second edition of that reprint. Millard French 124 1663; Wiebenson III.b.18; Kemp The Science of Art pp. 129ff.; Baltruaitis Anamorphosis 51ff. Folio 35 x 22.5 cm engraved frontispiece signed Daret 6 ff. including half-title and title engraved portrait of Niceron signed M. Lasne 191 1 pp. with 7 woodcut diagrams in text and 50 numbered plates 49 full-page 1 double page; 6 ff. 134 pp. Note: plates bound at back. Bound in contemporary calf covers ruled spine with raised bands elaborately gilt; covers abraded and some small chips to spine on bands; former ownership stamp on verso of title; spotting and even toning or light browning on scattered leaves often seen in this work; wormhole in margin of plates 27 and following repaired extending into printed surface generally only printed border. Otherwise very good. Jean du Puis/Widow of Langlois hardcover
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