Framed 17th century portrait of Allain Manesson Mallet c1683.

$450.00

Portrait of Allain Manesson Mallet, Parisi Ingeni des Camps et Armees du Roy de Portugal (Allain Manesson Mallet Parisian engineer of the camps and armies of the King of Portugal). Fine original copperplate-engraved portrait of Allain Manesson Mallet (1630-1706) by Pierre Landry. Published in Paris circa 1683.

Primarily a military engineer, Allain Manesson Mallet studied mathematics and geometry at the College of Bourgogne (now University of Burgundy) under his uncle, military engineer from Abbeville, Phillipe Mallet (1606-1679). Allain Manesson Mallet became a musketeer in the regiment of guards of Louis XIV. During 1666 and 1667, as an army engineer under Marshal Schomberg, Mallet became sargento-mor, equivalent to Commander of artillery and inspector of fortifications, in the service of Alfonso VI of Portugal, during the last stages of the restoration war. The mental instability of Alfonso VI led to his being deposed in November 1667 after Portuguese revolt. French King Louis concluded the establishment of the treaty of independence of Portugal from Spain in February 1668.

Mallet returned to France and was appointed master of mathematics at the school of the pages of the King in Little Stable, Versailles (reserved for the sons of the noble families whose antiquity dated back to 1550 or earlier). This provided Mallet time to write “on observations I’ve made on the art of war”.
In 1671 his first publication was on military science and the art of siege warfare. It was so successful that it was translated into German the following year, and then several counterfeit copies were published. Mallet’s updated “Travaux de Mars, ou l’art de war” (Work of Mars, or the Art of War) was published in Paris in 1684, accompanied by engraved diagrams for the fortifications of cities and towns throughout Europe. Mallet included small views of cities “to inspire young nobles to learn to draw, because in fortifications drawing is not simply a noble propriety, but an absolute necessity”.
Mallet’s most noted work was his small five volume “Description de l’Univers” (Description of the Universe), published in Paris in 1683. This was considered to be the first ‘modern’ book of geography, in which Mallet updated information from previous travel and geography books, and included decorative engravings of important early monuments, towns, peoples of the world, maps, globes, astronomy and astrology. This work was republished in Frankfurt in 1686.
Mallet’s third and final publication was “La geometrie pratique” (Practice of Geometry), based on the teachings of Philippe Mallet. This work, published in 1702, included hundreds of engravings of views and monuments illustrating geometry use in architectural structure. 

Page size is 21 x 14cm (8.1/4" x 10.1/2"). Framed in wonderful antique-style gilt sight-edged wooden frame with cracked gesso mount, there will be an additional charge, based on the shipment method and destination.

Out of stock