GRIMALDI, Francesco Maria. Physico-Mathesis de Lumine, coloribus, et iride, aliisque sequenti pagina indicatis. Bologne, héritiers de Vittorio Benati, 1665. _
Description
In-4 (235 x 175 mm) de 12 ff.n.ch. (dont le premier blanc, titre présent en double tirage, avec et sans la grande vignette gravée sur le titre), 535 pp., 8 ff.n.ch.; vélin ivoire à rabats, dos lisse (reliure moderne dans le style de l' époque).
Albert, Norton, & Hurtes, Source Book of Ophthalmology, 919 (“Grimaldi's work on the discovery of the diffraction (Newton's inflexion) of light... considered a classic in the history of optics, this work makes the first scientific attempt to establish the wave theory”); Kemp, The Science of Art, p. 285; Becker, 105; DSB, V, 542-545; Vitry, 429.
Édition originale du seul ouvrage publié de Grimaldi.
Il marque le début de la théorie ondulatoire de la lumière et contient d'importantes observations sur les propriétés des couleurs et leur relation à la lumière.
“Grimaldi's primary contribution to positive science was the discovery of optical diffraction... These diffraction experiments showed Grimaldi that a new mode of transmission of light had been discovered and that this mode contradicts the notion of an exclusively rectilinear passage of light. Diffraction thus gave prima facie evidence for a fluid nature of light... [Grimaldi] discussed other fluid phenomena analogously with light. To explain color and the varieties of color he decided that “a change in agitation” of luminous flow is responsible. Knowledge of his work appears in the work of both Hooke and Newton” (DSB).
“The first and only edition of Grimaldi's work on the discovery of the diffraction of light was edited by Girolamo Bernia and published two years after the author's death. Grimaldi, a Jesuit professor of mathematics at Bologna, summarized his optical observations in this work which is a classic in the history of optics” (Becker).
Traces de mouillure sur le corps de l'ouvrage, taches rouges occasionnelles.
First edition of Grimaldi's only book; he describes the discovery of optical diffraction. This is perhaps the rarest of all great optical books, and marks the first scientific attempt to establish a comprehensive wave theory of light which had influence on the research by Hooke and Newton.
