Ptolemaeus, Planisphaerium, Venice, [Paolo Manuzio], 1558, modern calf

Ptolemaeus, Claudius. Ptolemaei Planisphaerium. Iordani Planisphaerium. Federici Commandini Vrbinatis in Ptolemaei Planisphaerium commentarius. In quo uniuersa scenographices ratio quam breuissime traditur, ac demonstrationibus confirmatur. Venice: [Paolo Manuzio], 1558

First separate edition and first edition of Commandino's commentary. While the Greek text of Ptolemy's Planisphaerium is no longer extant, it was translated into Arabic, and from Arabic into Latin. This Latin version, along with Jordanus de Nemore's work on the same topic, was printed in Basel in 1536. That edition is here edited by Federico Commandino (1509–1575) with his own commentary. Commandino, who was physician to the Duke of Urbino at his household in Rome, is the author of several translations of ancient Greek mathematical treatises and commentaries thereon.

The Planisphaerium concerns the stereographic projection of the celestial sphere on a plane with the south celestial pole at the center, a technique which Ptolemy used for mapping points in the heavens on the plane of the equator. In working with this projection and conic sections, Commandino noticed that conic sections can be considered sections in visual cones or perspective images. This inspired him to include in his work a study of perspective, which occupies the majority of his commentary and represents one of the earliest mathematical formulations of a method already widely employed by artists.

2 parts in one volume, 4to (199 x 144 mm). Roman and italic type, 25 lines plus headline. collation: A-K⁴ L² a-g⁴: 70 leaves. Woodcut Aldine device to both titles and verso of both final leaves, numerous woodcut text diagrams, historiated woodcut initials.

binding: Modern calf (209 x 157 mm), blue speckled edges.

provenance: Unidentified owner, inscriptions "P" with "Cas. 33" at head of title-page. acquisition: Purchased from Martayan Lan, New York, 1988. references: UCLA 541; Renouard 173/4; Edit16 28281; USTC 851487