André TACQUET, OPERA MATHEMATICA, Antwerp, 1668-1669

Description

Opera mathematica R.P. Andreae Tacquet antuerpiensis e Societate Iesu demostrata et propugnata a Simone Laurentio Veterani ex comitibus montis calvi in Collegio Societatis Iesu Lovanii.

Antwerpiae, Apud lacobum Meursium (Jacob van Meurs), 1668-1669

In-folio; (54)-356-(1)-(1)-303-168 pp.; half-title, with a richly engraved allegorical frontispiece illustrating light refraction through lenses and the teaching of drawing with compasses, large engraved publisher’s device on title-page, title in red and black, and numerous illustrations and figures on 87 folding engraved plate; contemporary blind and gold-tooled vellum over boards, central medallion with removed coat-of-arms, red edges, some rubbing and general wear to cover.

Comments:

First edition of this posthumous compilation by the Antwerp Jesuit Tacquet edited by Simon Laurent Veterani, who dedicates it to Cardinal Rospigliosi, whose portrait follows the frontispiece. The work deals with Astronomy (the text of which was unpublished), geometry, optics, catoptric, military architecture, cylinder and rings, with “Cylindrica et Annularia” (Theorems on cylinders and rings) being his most important work.

Bibliography: Sommervogel, VII, 1810; Sotheran, I, 4715).