d'AGUILON, Francois

Opticorum libri sex

Antwerp: Plantin, widow and sons of J Moretus, 1613

First edition.

Folio, frontispiece, six plates, numerous diagrams.

Contemporary calf, repairs to spine and front cover.

This highly regarded treatise on geometrical optics has a special renown for its frontispiece and six plates, one at the beginning of each section of the book, which were drawn by Peter Paul Rubens. These are the only technical illustrations to have been made by Rubens. In addition to his widely known artistic output, Peter Paul Rubens regularly produced book illustrations for his close friend, the printer and publisher Balthasar Moretus, who took over the famous printing office of Plantin upon the death of his father, Jan Moretus. Like many other renaissance and baroque artists, Rubens had a keen interest in vision, optics, and perspective. When Moretus asked him to produce an introductory plate for each section of d'Aguilon's treatise, Rubens studied the book and created illustrations that are far more than just decorative drawings - each plate captures the essential scientific content of its respective section. From d'Aguilon, Opticorum, Antwerp 1613.

From d'Aguilon, Opticorum, Antwerp 1613.