AA.VV. - Instruction Militaire - 1773

WAR MANUAL: GEOMETRY, TOPOGRAPHY AND DISCIPLINE FOR THE OFFICERS OF THE KING
The Instruction militaire or part of the science of the officer fits fully into the eighteenth-century tradition of applied military science, in which war is understood as a rational, measurable discipline governed by geometric principles. Published in 1773 without indication of place or printer, the volume is intended for the technical training of the King’s infantry officers and concentrates on practical geometry applied to field warfare: terrain surveys, plotting, temporary fortifications, measurements and graphical representations. The numerous folding plates testify to a concrete didactic vocation, making the book a working tool rather than mere theoretical consultation.
MARKET VALUE
On the European antiquarian market, French military manuals of the XVIII century with a complete iconographic apparatus maintain steady interest. For a specimen like this, with 14 folding plates preserved, the valuation generally ranges between 500 and 800 euros, with possible increases for copies that are particularly fresh or attributable to specific military contexts. Anonymous but technically solid works are today appreciated by collectors of the history of applied science.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION
Contemporary full calf binding, spine ornamented with gilded tooling. Volume illustrated by 14 folding plates engraved, depicting terrain profiles, geometric layouts, fortifications and topographic schemes. Spine with wear and defects at the ends; pages with some browning and foxing. As with all old books, with a multiyear history, there may be some imperfections not always noted in the description. Pp. (2); 4nn; 16; 172; (2).
FULL TITLE AND AUTHOR
Instruction militaire ou partie de la science de l’officier.
S.L., 1773.
AA.VV.
CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
In the eighteenth century, the training of the European officer rests increasingly on technical competences: mathematics, geometry, cartography and military engineering become indispensable tools of modern warfare. This manual sits in that milieu which, between Vauban and the pre-revolutionary era, conceives conflict as a rational space to be mastered through calculation and graphical representation. The plates show sections of terrain, rivers, roads, encampments and temporary defensive works, making evident the practical function of the volume. The choice of anonymity and the absence of typographic data suggest internal or semi-official circulation, perhaps linked to the military or academic milieu.
PRINTING HISTORY AND CIRCULATION
Editions later are not known with certainty; the indication “Tome I” suggests a broader editorial project, probably never completed. This element increases the bibliographic interest of the volume, which appears as an isolated yet significant testimony of late-Ancien Régime French military pedagogy.
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
ICCU / OPAC SBN: similar copies cataloged under anonymous manuals of military science of the XVIII century.
BnF, Catalogue général: notices relating to manuals of military geometry and campaign engineering.
Duffy, Christopher, The Military Experience in the Age of Reason.
Blondel, Jacques-François, contemporaneous treatises on military engineering and applied geometry.