Main entry:

Verkaven, J. J., active 1790?-1820.

Title & Author:

L'art de lever les plans : appliqué à tout ce qui a rapport à la guerre, à la navigation et à l'architecture civile et rurale; ouvrage dans lequel on trouvera la description et les usages des nouveaux instrumens et des anciens perfectionnés; des moyens aussi expéditifs que faciles pour parvenir à lever toutes sortes de plans; des vues nouvelles pour la construction des cartes militaires, etc. / par J.J. Verkaven ...

Edition:

Second édition.

Publication:

A Paris: Chez Barrois ..., 1811.

Description:

16, 323, [1] pages, IX folded etch. plates, [1] folded table ; 19.9 cm (2)̲

Notes:
A much-expanded and revised edition of Dupain de Montesson's work of the same title (see Notes below).
Signature: 4:̲ a⁸ A-V⁸ X². [170 leaves] $4 signed ( -a1, X2).
: This manual of draughtsmanship, surveying and cartography has its roots in a work with almost exactly the same title, compiled by Dupain de Montesson (q.v.) and originally published by C.A. Jombert in 1763. A 'Séconde {OCLCbr90}dition' was published, also by Jombert, in 1775. In 1792 Barrois and Didot issued what was probably the third edition, and in 1804 Barrois produced a 'Nouveau {OCLCbr90}dition', revised, corrected and expanded by J.J. Verkaven. This appears to have contained the same nine plates which were reprinted in the present edition, for which the text has again been expanded and revised by Verkaven, to such a degree that he now feels the work to be his own and has dropped Dupain de Montesson's name from the titlepage (indeed, in the preface he draws attention to the merits of Dupain de Montesson's work, but only admits that 'j'ai souvent consulté le travail de cet auteur' (p.5)). No intermediate edition of Verkaven's text has been traced, and it seems that the statement 'Seconde {OCLCbr90}dition, Revue, Corrigée Et Augmentée' means that this is the second edition of Verkaven's revision, the first being that of 1804. Quèrard says that the present edition was sold at six francs.! %tVerkaven himself is an obscure figure. The titlepage notes that he was 'Bachelier de l'Université impériale' and 'Professeur d'analyse à l'{OCLCbr90}cole militaire spéciale de Cavalerie, à St. Germain-en-Laye', and Quèrard adds the title 'Professeur de mathematiques des aspirants au corps du génie' (see Quèrard X, p.114). He was also the author of a Traité de nivellement (Paris: Benois, 1820). The BN. Livres imprimés and Quèrard also attribute to him Méthode facile pour vérifier le calcul des annuités relatives à la vente de biens nationaux ... (Troyes: Sainton, 1790), although this is evidently in a rather different field, is only signed as 'Par M. Verkaven', and may be by a different hand, possibly an older relation of the present author. This may explain Quèrard's description of Verkaven as 'd'abord Professeur de mathematiques ... au corps du génie, et plus tard d'analyse à l'{OCLCbr90}cole militaire ... ', the bibliographer having perhaps conflated titlepage descriptions for two different authors.

Subject:

Art Surveying Drawing instruments Drawing architectural France

Added entries:

Dupain de Montesson, approximately 1720-1790.

Holdings:

Location: Library main 34150
Call No.: ID:88-B5604
Status: Available