Jean-François Niceron: Curious Perspective, 551

To students and practitioners of anamorphic art, the name of Jean-François Niceron is more than preeminent; it has become iconic. Through his one great treatise of mathematical art, La Perspective Curieuse, produced in his short but brilliant career, Niceron's name has become synonymous with a whole branch of art. His book was first published in 1638. An augmented version was then translated into Latin by Mersenne in 1646. A newly amended and augmented version was retranslated into French by Roberval in 1652. This book is an English translation of the 1652 text, with reference to the 1638 and 1646 versions.

Niceron himself did not intend to produce a great work of mathematical theory, but a useful manual for practitioners and artists. As a result, his text at times includes approximations. Considering the continuted high reputation of the book, the mathematics have been checked for correctness and consistency, and the authors have provided a full commentary, pointing out the most difficult turns of the 17th-century French, the respective contributions of Niceron, Mersenne and Roberval, and explaining Niceron's greatest insights and weaknesses.

With a Mathematical and Historical Commentary by James L. Hunt, John Sharp, and Dominique Raynaud
About the Author: James Hunt graduated in physics from the University of Toronto, and taught physics for 35 years at the University of Guelph, Canada. On his retirement in 1999, he switched his research interests to the interaction of mathematics and art and began a collaborative association with John Sharp. He is the co-author of textbooks on elementary physics and environmental physics.

John Sharp started his career as an analytical chemist before becoming a technical writer, authoring manuals on a variety of software and hardware products. He also taught geometry as continuing education, and organised and lectured at Bridges Maths and Art conferences. He is known for paper sculpture including books on sliceform surfaces.

Dominique Raynaud is a science historian at Université Grenoble Alpes, France. He has dedicated most of his research work to the history of geometry, optics, and linear perspective. Among his publications are A Critical Edition of Ibn al-Haytham's Epistle on the Shape of the Eclipse: The First Experimental Study of the Camera Obscura (2016), Studies on Binocular Vision (2016), Scientific Controversies (2015), Optics and the Rise of Perspective (2014).

Sylvia Hunt is a professor of literature at Laurentian University, Canada.