Desargues, Maniere universelle pour pratiquer la perspective, Paris, 1647, contemporary vellum

DESARGUES, GIRARD—ABRAHAM BOSSE. Manière 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. Paris: Pierre Des Hayes, 1647

FIRST EDITION of Bosse's finely illustrated exposition of perspective in drawing, taken from the work of the mathematician Girard Desargues (1591-1661), whose lectures he attended in Paris in the early 1640s; shortly after this publication, in early 1648, Bosse was himself teaching at the newly-founded Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture. Bosse shows his familiarity with the text of Leonardo's Treatise on Painting, in particular in his description of aerial perspective.

Copies of this work are also found with a title-page dated 1648.

8vo (167 x 106 mm). Roman type. Collation: [â⁴] ê⁴ A-X⁴ "Y,Z"⁴ Y⁴ [amended to Aa by hand] Bb-Vu⁴: 360 leaves. Additional engraved title-page, engraved portrait of the dedicatee (Michel Larcher), first page of dedication engraved, 81 double-sided engraved plates, folding engraved plate at end, engraved text on final recto. (Occasional staining or light browning.)

Binding: Contemporary vellum (173 x 117 mm), spine with manuscript lettering. (Binding slightly soiled and very slightly warped.)

Provenance: "Acquis par echange de l'abé douet le 15 7bre 1767. F. Jarry(?)", inscription on inside front cover. Acquisition: Purchased in 2010 from Librairie-galerie Alain Cambon, Paris.References: BAL RIBA 338