Carlo Rinaldini, 1684

RINALDINI, Carlo (1615-1698). Ars analytica mathematum. Vols I & II: Florence: Giuseppe Cocchini, 1665-67; vol III: Padua: Pietro Maria Frambotti, 1684. [Bound and probably issued with:] Commercium epistolicum ... Ad artem ... mathematum analyticam paralipomena. Padua: Pietro Maria Frambotti, 1682.

First editions of the magnum opus of Rinaldini on mathematical analysis and geometry, along with his Commercium epistolicum—an uncut, and unpressed copy in original carta rustica. The Ars analytica mathematum begins with an examination of the algebra of the ancients, primarily Diophantine analysis, then develops the new algebra of François Viète and the geometry of René Descartes. The fine frontispiece depicts the Arts and Sciences coming forth from the Medici Palace, engraved by Cornelis Bloemaert after a design by Ciro Ferri and Rinaldini himself.

The author was a mathematician and philosopher who enjoyed the patronage of the Medicis. Grand Duke Ferdinando II had appointed him in 1644 to the chair of philosophy at Pisa, where--although forbidden to teach Galilean theories—he was a member of a circle of like-minded theorists and later helped to establish a Galilean curriculum. He was an editor of the Saggi di Naturali Esperienze as well as Galileo's works, and also a founding member of the Accademia dei Cimento, for which he proposed and conducted numerous experiments. The second work here, his Commercium epistolicum, publishes for the first time Rinaldini's correspondence with Ferdinando II de’ Medici regarding the barometric experiments of Torricelli and letters with other correspondents including Ismael Boulliau, Paolo Casati, Stefano degli Angeli, Athanasius Kircher, Michelangelo Ricci, and Alfonso Borelli. Riccardi I.2 347.

Two works bound in three volumes, folio (c.370 x 250mm). Half title in vol I; titles printed in red and black in first work. Engraved folding frontispiece and engraved portrait in vol 1; one engraving in text and woodcuts throughout (occasional minor marginal waterstains to a few gatherings, small wormtrack in vol III touching a few words, some sheets toned, +A1 detached in vol I). Contemporary carta rustica, titles in ink on spines (front cords broken in third volume).