Oliver Byrne
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Oliver Byrne
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See moreDiscover one of the oddest and most beautiful books of the 19th century: Oliver Byrne's edition of Euclid's Elements. This work of art and science combines vivid primary colors and mathematical precision in a display of geometric form. Elements anticipates Bauhaus design and even modern info graphics used by news organizations.
Nearly a century before Mondrian made geometrical red, yellow, and blue lines famous, 19th-century mathematician Oliver Byrne employed the colour scheme for his 1847 edition of Euclid's mathematical and geometric treatise Elements. Byrne's idea was to use colour to make learning easier and "diffuse permanent knowledge." The result has been described as one of the oddest and most beautiful books of the 19th century.
The facsimile of Byrne's seminal publication is now available in a beautiful new edition. A masterwork of art and science, it is as remarkable in the boldness of its red, yellow, and blue figures and diagrams as it is in the mathematical precision of its theories. In the simplicity of forms and colours, the pages anticipate the vigour of De Stijl and Bauhaus design. In making complex information at once accessible and aesthetically engaging, this work is a forerunner to the information graphics that today define much of our data consumption.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Every graphic designer, book lover and math nerd will be awestruck. β The New York Times
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9783836577380
Publisher: Taschen GmbH
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 20 May 2022
Country: Germany
Imprint: Taschen GmbH
Edition: Multilingual edition
Contributors:
- Edited by Werner Oechslin
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 40.0mm
Width: 205.0mm
Height: 256.0mm
Weight: 1719g
Pages: 396
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About the Author
Werner Oechslin studied art history, archaeology, philosophy, and mathematics. After doctoral studies in Zurich in 1970 he taught at MIT and Harvard University. Since 1985 he has been a professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, where he led the Institute for the History and Theory of Architecture from 1986 to 2006. His research focuses on architectural theory and the cultural history of architecture. His most recent publication is Palladianismus: Andrea Palladio β Werk und Wirkung (2008). He is the founder of Bibliothek Werner Oechslin in Einsiedeln.
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