For two millennia, Euclid's Elements,
the foundational ancient work on geometry by the famed Greek
mathematician, was required reading for educated people. (The
“classically educated” read them in the original Greek.) The influence of the Elements in
philosophy and mathematics cannot be overstated; so inspiring are
Euclid’s proofs and axioms that Edna St. Vincent Millay wrote a sonnet in his honor. But over time, Euclid’s principles were streamlined into textbooks, and the Elements was read less and less.
In 1847, maybe sensing that the popularity of Euclid’s text was fading, Irish professor of mathematics Oliver Byrne worked with London publisher William Pickering to produce his own edition of the Elements, or half of it, with original illustrations that carefully explain the text.
“Byrne’s edition was one of the first multicolor printed books,” writes designer Nicholas Rougeux. “The precise use of colors and diagrams meant that the book was very challenging and expensive to reproduce.” It met with little notice at the time.
Read more:
http://www.openculture.com/2018/12/a-beautifully-designed-edition-of-euclids-elements.html
In 1847, maybe sensing that the popularity of Euclid’s text was fading, Irish professor of mathematics Oliver Byrne worked with London publisher William Pickering to produce his own edition of the Elements, or half of it, with original illustrations that carefully explain the text.
“Byrne’s edition was one of the first multicolor printed books,” writes designer Nicholas Rougeux. “The precise use of colors and diagrams meant that the book was very challenging and expensive to reproduce.” It met with little notice at the time.
Read more:
http://www.openculture.com/2018/12/a-beautifully-designed-edition-of-euclids-elements.html