Venetia, Francesco Franceschi Sanese, 1564.
4to [226 x 165 mm] of (4) ll. including an engraved frontispiece and a portrait of the author, 141, (3). Numerous woodcuts: 156 engravings within the text including 4 full-page, 2 folding plates, 2 calculation tables on double-page. Repaired tear without loss on one of the 2 folding plates, a few minor small stains. Half-vellum, green morocco lettering piece. 18th century binding.
Rare first edition of one of the best 16th century treatises of geometry, in which Bartoli tackles the measurement of distances and areas.
Smith, Rara Arithmetica, 315 (who only describes the second edition of 1589) ; Berlin Kat. 1701; Kiely, Surveying Instruments, p. 190 ; Mortimer 45.
« Prima edizione col ritratto dell’autore intagliato in legno, non meno che le figure inserite fra il testo » (Cicoganra, Catalogo ragionato dei libri d’arte e d’antichita, I, 421).
This treatise explains how to measure great distances, heights or areas, using geometric methods. The author also addresses the problem of perspective and geometric projection. The fourth book is dedicated to the construction and use of the compass, while in the book V Bartoli deals with Euclidean geometry. Finally, in book VI, the author studies square roots.
Bartoli gives in his Del modo di misurare a detailed account of the surveying methods and instruments used in the 16th century.
Bartoli had translated many scientific works, and he resumes in his treatise some mathematical elements studied by the authors he translated: Frisius, Apian, Durer, Alberti, Oronce Finé, Stoeffler, Peurbach…
The abundant illustration consists of a superb engraved frontispiece, a portrait of the author, and 160 woodcuts including 4 on full-page and 2 folding.
Precious wide-margined copy of this rare treatise of geometry finely illustrated.
Provenance: Theodoro Piressi (handwritten ex libris on the title).
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