BOOKS ON ARCHITECTURE

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Transcribed version of the text

French

     In 1594, Jacques Chouet, a master-printer in Geneva, published the eighth edition of the Theatre des instrumens mathematiques et mechaniques. After a first issue, probably Parisian, towards 1571-72, under the title Livre premier des instrumens mathematiques et mechaniques, master-printer Jean de Laon, financed by Claude Juge, performed successive transformations on it as it came out in Geneva. After Besson's death in 1573, François Béroalde ensured the distribution of Besson's work. In 1578 not only did he invent a new title, "Théâtre" of instruments and machines, but he also enriched the presentation of the illustrations with "déclarations" which explain their functions and workings. "Additions" written at the request of Claude Juge by Giulio Paschali completed Béroalde's declarations in the Latin and Italian editions dated 1582. In 1594, Jacques Chouet, an associate of Jean de Laon, proposed a new French edition dedicated to François de Bonne, the Governor of Grenoble. This edition was the same as that of 1582, including Paschali's additions. A second identical edition appeared in 1596.

Hélène Vérin (Centre national de la recherche scientifique, Paris) – 2008

Critical bibliography

Béroalde de Verville (1556-1626), Cahiers V.-L. Saulnier, 13, Paris, PENS, 1996.

J. Besson, Instrumentorum et machinarum quas Jacobus Bessonus Delphinas mathematicus et a machinis practer alia excogitavit multisque vigiliis et laboribus excaluit ad zerum multarum intellectu difficillimarum explicationem et totius Reipublicae utilitatem (facsimile of the 1569=c1571 edition), Paris, Jardin de Flore, 1978.

A. G. Keller, "The Missing Years of Jacques Besson, Inventor of Machines, Teacher of Mathematics, Distiller of Oils, and Huguenot Pastor", Technology and Culture, 14, 1, january 1973, pp. 28-39.

A. G. Keller, "A manuscript Version of Jacques Besson’s Book of Machines, with his unpublished Principles of Mechanics", B. S. Hall & D. C. West (ed.), On Pre-Modern Technology and Science, Malibu, Undena Publications, 1976, pp. 75-103.

L. Dolza & H. Vérin, "Figurer la mécanique: l’énigme des théâtres de machines de la Renaissance", Revue d'Histoire Moderne et Contemporaine, 51-2, 2004-2, pp. 7-37.

L. Dolza & H. Vérin, Theatrum instrumentorum et machinarum : Lione, 1578 di Jacques Besson, introduction, facsimile of the 1578 edition, Rome, Edizioni dell’Elefante, 2001.

E. Droz, Chemins de l’Hérésie, textes et documents, 4, Geneva, Slatkine, 1976, pp. 271-374.

D. Hillard, "Jacques Besson et son Théâtre des instruments mathématiques", Revue française d'histoire du livre, 22, 1979, pp. 5-38.

D. Hillard, "Jacques Besson et son Théâtre des instruments mathématiques : recherches complémentaires", Revue française d'histoire du livre, 30, 1981, pp. 47-69.