Maniere Universelle De Mr Desargues, pour pratiquer la Perspective Par Petit-Pied, comme le Geometral. Ensemble Les Places Et Proportions Des Fortes & Foibles Touches, Teintes ou Couleurs. Par A. Bosse, Graveur en Taille Douce, en l'Isle du Palais, au coin de la ruë de Harlay, à la Rose Rouge, devant la Megisserie.
A Paris,: De l'Imprimerie de Pierre Des-Hayes,, M.DC.XLVIII. Avec Privilege Du Roy.
Physical Description
[16], 342, [2] p., add. engr. t.-pl., 156 pl. 175 mm. (Quarto).
General Note
In most cases each pair of plates is printed on the recto and verso of one leaf. There is a bis pl. 156.
Contents
[Add. engr. t.-pl., t.-p., part-title of Part I, dedic.] - Table, Ou Indice de l'ordre & contenu de ce livre - Reconnoissance De Monsieur Desargues - Extraict Du Privilege - Avant-Propos - Advertissement - Du Particulier De Ce Traité - [Text, chapters 1-14] - [T.-pl.] - [Plates 1-124, with explanations] - [Part title of Part II] - [Text, chapters 1-28] - [Plates 125-156, with descriptions] - Advis au Lecteur, pour un plus grand éclaircissement de quelques endroits - Errata.
Responsibility Note
The work is dedicated by A. Bosse to Michel Larcher.
References
RIBA, Early printed books, 1 (1994), no. 338, p. 188-9 [describing chiefly the 1647 edition]; Johns Hopkins University, The Fowler Architectural Collection (1961, repr. 1991), no. 56, p.45-6.
Abraham Bosse savant graveur [exhibition catalogue] (Paris, 2004), nos. 245-56; R.-A. Weigert, Inventaire du fonds français: graveurs du dix-septième siècle, Paris, Bib. Nat., Cab. Est. cat., I (Paris, 1939), p. 471-534; Johns Hopkins University, Fowler (1961), 56; M. Kemp, The science of art: optical themes in western art (1992); P. Descargues, Perspective: history, evolution, techniques (1982); J.V. Field and J.J. Gray, The mathematical work of Girard Desargues (1987).
Summary Note
The date 1647 appears on the added engraved title-plate and on the added engraved title-plate on the recto of plate I.
Desargue's method involves the combination of two geometric scales ('geometral' and 'petit-pied'). Bosse expounds these (e.g. pl. 28), and relates them to the picture plane as a window (pl. 41), the creation of a complete box of space (pl. 85) and the scaling of human figures (pl. 100).
The full exploration of Desargues's mathematic innovations had to wait until the nineteenth century. The exposition of his works by Bosse led to a heated controversy in the Académie Royale over the value to artists of exact scientific understanding of optics.
Provenance
Acquired between 1769 and 1802. Recorded in RAA Library, Catalogue, 1802.
Binding Note
18th-century mottled calf; rebacked in 20th century, black morocco spine-label lettered 'Desargues Maniere Universelle'.