Engraving by the French cartographer and engineer Alain Manesson Mallet from his book Description de L'Univers in 5 volumes. This image depicts the planet Venus, in partial shadow, shown larger than life in the sky above a bucolic scene of a town in the mountains. A waterwheel is visible on the left and some herders can be seen at the bottom of the frame with their animals. The print is in colour and the stars and planet have been painted in gold.
Alain Manesson Mallet (1630–1706) was a French cartographer and engineer. He started his career as a soldier in the army of Louis XIV, became a Sergeant-Major in the artillery and an Inspector of Fortifications. He also served under the King of Portugal, before returning to France, and his appointment to the court of Louis XIV. His military engineering and mathematical background led to his position teaching mathematics at court.
His Description de L'Universe contains a wide variety of information, including star maps, maps of the ancient and modern world, and a synopsis of the customs, religion and government of the many nations included in his text. It has been suggested that his background as a teacher led to his being concerned with entertaining his readers. This concern manifested itself in the charming harbour scenes and rural landscapes that he included beneath his description of astronomical concepts and diagrams. Mallet himself drew most of the figures that were engraved for this book.
PNT-01023 > Alain Manesson Malleτ (1630-1706), die Venus, Engraving, 15x11cm, 1683
