L'HOSTE (Jean) - Epipolimetry or the art of measuring any su - Lot 433

L'HOSTE (Jean) - Epipolimetry or the art of measuring any surface, including the way to properly designate form, transmute, or change, measure, share any planes; in which is demonstrated the practice of the first six books of Euclid's geometric elements. A necessary work for surveyors, geographers, architects, sculptors and statuaries, painters and generally all craftsmen and workers who work with proportion, measure, ruler and compass. Saint-Mihiel, Par François du Bois, 1619; small folio, XXXII-115 pp, modern paper boards, smooth spine, blue morocco title page, speckled edges. Jean L'Hoste was a mathematician, engineer, war advisor and intendant of fortifications to the Duke of Lorraine. He was born in Nancy around 1586, and died in the same city on April 8, 1631. He was a scholar who taught canon and civil law at the University of Pont-à-Mousson, before going on to teach mathematics there. His career is recalled in the letters-patent of the Duke of Lorraine Henri II of Lorraine of August 18, 1613, giving "provision des estats de mathématicien de Son Altesse, ingénieur des fortifications de ses pays et conseiller de guerre, pour le sieur Jean L'Hoste. Recognizing... par effects la suffisance, capacité et expérience estans en la personne de nostre cher et bien aimé Jean L'Hoste, demeurant en ce lieu (Nancy), qui par cy-devant aurait fait prenne des qualitez susdites, résidant en notre Université de Pont à Mousson, en enseignant plusieurs arts libéraulx, notamment les mathématicques, là où par le fidel rapport feu Jean-Baptiste de Stabili, would have already retained him in our service as a topographer, and for four years in this called in this place, to make and lead the manufacture of certain solar clocks that for a long time had proposed to have built according to the declarations and desseings exposed to us, in which the aforementioned L'Hoste would have made us paroistre of his dexterity, as on many other occasions"... In a 1629 manuscript, Sommaire de la manière de fortifier..., he explains how to make the geometric construction of a topographical map and the geometric construction of the figure of a square, finding the length of lines supporting several angles. Extremely rare work printed in Saint-Mihiel. Consultant: Mr. Philippe HENRY