[DUBREUIL, Jean], Sieur de Bitainvieu.
L'art universel des fortifications, Francoises, Holandoises, Espagnoles, Italiennes, et composées. Avec l'art d'attaquer les places fortifiées par les surprises & par la force, & aussi de défendre les places fortifiées contre les surprises & contre la force, par le Sieur de Bitainvieu.
Paris, Jacques Dubrueil, 1674 [=1667]. 6 parts in 1 volume. 4to. With engraved general frontispiece by Jean Le Pautre (1618-1682), 6 engraved frontispieces for the 6 parts, the first 4 by Jean Le Paultre and the last 2 by Noel Cochin (1622-1695) after Ferrand, and many illustrations of military perspective, plans of fortifications, instruments of attack and defence of fortifications, etc. on 125 full-page engraved plates in the text, several plates in part V signed by R. Coquin. Contemporary mottled calf, gold-tooled spine, with title in gold in second compartment, marbled edges. [36], 2; 133 (with the text and the corresponding plate numbered the same); 117, [3] pp.
€ 3,800
Rare complete pictorial course on military architecture, perspective drawing, fortifications and siege warfare in two main parts, the first with four and the second with two separate "treatises": Traité I: "Les definitions, les noms, les termes, et les figures des pieces & des ouvrages dont on se sert aux fortifications" (the basic elements of fortifications); Traité II: "où sont données diverses methodes pour fortifier toute figure reguliere la françoise, la hollandoise, l'espagnole, & l'italienne" (the geometric principles of designing fortifications, teaching the various methods of designing fortifications used by the French, Dutch, Spanish and Italians); Traité III: "où sont données les methodes de fortifier toutes sortes de places regulieres-irregulieres, comme sont les triangles, & celles qui sont en tout irregulieres" (the practical designing of fortifications for different sorts of sites and situations); Traité IV: "qui donne la methode pour élever les plans des fortifications, & les faire paroistre sur le papier, comme elles sont en effet sur la terre" (perspective for representing fortifications on paper, with perspective views on 9 full-page plates); Traité V: "L'art d'attaquer les places fortifiées et par la force"; Traité VI: "L'art de defendre les [places fortifiées en contre la force" (the attack and defence of fortified sites respectively, including all sorts of military devices and weaponry).
Although our copy has the title-page of the third edition (Paris, Jacques Dubreuil, 1674), it is in fact a reissue of the second edition (Paris, Jacques Debreuil, 1667), which was already a reissue of the first edition (Paris, Jacques Dubreuil, 1665) with a new title-page and with the second part added.
Old owner's inscription, "Develle", on title-page and some ms. notes on last endleaf. Corners and head and foot of spine professionally restored and the whole in good condition. De Backer-Sommervogel II, 147.3; Jähns, p. 1344 ("Das bedeutenste Werk, welches aus der Metzer Jesuitenschule hervorging" cf. p. 1338); cf. Poggendorff I, 607 (Dubreuil-ed. 1665); not in Berlin Kat., etc.
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