DURER, Albrecht

[Institutiones Geometricae] or (Underweysung der Messung)

      Christian Wechel, Paris:: Christian Wechel,, 1532.. FIRST LATIN EDITION.. Folio.. Title with Wechel's tree device (Renouard 1114), repeated on verso of last printed leaf. With 9 full-page and 3 half-page woodcuts, approximately 175 text drawings of geometrical diagrams, architectural figures, and designs for letters. Complete with the 2 pasted slips on pages 179 and 181(lacking in many copies). Small repair to title, A few unobtrusive spots on the lower blank margin of the preliminary leaves and a few leaves lightly browned, otherwise a large handsome copy in modern vellum with the inscription "Signum Alberti Dureri" and his monogram written in ink in a contemporary hand above the first woodblock illustration. PMM 54. First Latin edition of Durer's Unterweisung der Messung (Nuremberg, 1525), his masterpiece of perspective and art theory. He here demonstrates the application between mathematics (geometry) and art by his depictions of architecture, lettering and ornamental forms. With this translation by his good friend Camerarius, Durer introduces to the rest of Europe the renaissance approaches to design and artistic creation. He treats construction of plane curves and helices by means of Euclidian geometry; construction of polygons and their uses in architectural ornamentation, parquet floors, and finally polyhedra, stereometry and perspective. The woodcuts and diagrams are executed with great precision; they include the famous illustrations of the two figures demonstrating a drawing instrument, signed with Durer's monogram (dated 1530 for this edition) as well as one of an artist drawing a seated man with the aid of Durer's machine. The text of Book Three contains his famous original treatise on the shaping of Roman capital and Gothic letters and Gothic letters built up by means of small geometrical forms.#11;