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Euclid (Greek: Εὐκλείδης) was an ancient Greek mathematician active as a geometer and logician. Considered the "father of geometry", he is chiefly known for the Elements treatise, which established the foundations of geometry that largely dominated the field until the early 19th century. His system, now referred to as Euclidean geometry, involved new innovations in combination with a synthesis of theories from earlier Greek mathematicians, including Eudoxus of Cnidus, Hippocrates of Chios, Thales and Theaetetus. With Archimedes and Apollonius of Perga, Euclid is generally considered among the greatest mathematicians of antiquity, and one of the most influential in the history of mathematics.
Aristotle (Greek: Ἀριστοτέλης) was an Ancient Greek philosopher and polymath, renowned for his profound impact on Western philosophy and science. Born in Stagira, Chalcidice, Aristotle's intellectual ventures spanned a multitude of subjects, including but not limited to physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology.
Educated in Plato's Academy in Athens, Aristotle distinguished himself as a scholar of vast knowledge and influence. His foundational works laid the groundwork for the development of modern science, while his teachings on logic and the syllogistic method continue to resonate in the realm of philosophy. As the tutor of Alexander the Great and the founder of the Lyceum in Athens, Aristotle's legacy extends beyond his prolific writings, with his teachings shaping medieval scholarship and influencing both Judeo-Islamic and Christian theologies.
Among Aristotle's notable works, his treatises such as "Nicomachean Ethics," "Politics," "Metaphysics," and "Poetics" have been studied for centuries. His concept of the "Golden Mean," advocating for a balanced and moderate approach to life, remains a cornerstone of ethical philosophy. His ideas on the "Prime Mover" and empirical evidence as a basis for understanding the world laid the foundation for scientific inquiry. Although only about a third of his original output has survived, Aristotle's contributions continue to be a subject of academic study and admiration.
For collectors and experts in art and antiques, the philosophical and scientific principles of Aristotle's works are not just historical artifacts but living ideas that continue to shape our understanding of the world and our place within it. His insights into the "good life" and the pursuit of happiness are as relevant today as they were in ancient Greece.
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Maître François was a French illustrator who worked in Paris in the 1460s-1480s.
The identity of Maître François as an artist is first mentioned in a letter written by Robert Gauguin in 1473. Most of the prestigious commissions from the court and leading ecclesiastical figures of the time were carried out in François' studio. In Paris in the second half of the fifteenth century, one can trace the predominant style of illumination by the works of Master Jean Rolin, Maître François, and Master Jacques de Besançon. Bibliophiles close to the royal court encouraged the work of miniaturists through private commissions. In particular, Jacques d'Armagnac owned six manuscripts of Maitre Francois and his entourage.
Boccaccio's De casibus virorum illustrium was very popular in the 15th century, where the author retells the fates and downfalls of famous personalities from the Bible, antiquity and medieval history, ending with Boccaccio's own contemporaries in 14th-century Florence. For a long time this book was even more famous and successful than Boccaccio's Decameron. The text was translated into French in 1409 for Jean, Duke de Berry, by his secretary Laurent Premieffe. And the illustrations for the book were later created in the workshop of the then respected Maître François.
Attavante degli Attavanti, also Gabriello di Vante, is the best known and most representative artist of Italian miniature painting.
Attavante's elegant, expressive style was influenced by the work of Domenico Ghirlandaio and Antonio Pollaiuolo. His first recorded work, dated 1483, is a missal created for Thomas James, bishop of the Dol-de-Bretagne. He subsequently created several manuscripts for Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungary, and the Medici family, among whom was Pope Leo X. The workshop of Attavante also produced the Jerome Bible, one of the finest bibles created during the Italian Renaissance, now in the Portuguese National Archives.
Thomas Zipp is a German artist, sculptor and installer who lives and works in Berlin.
He graduated from the Staedelschule in Frankfurt and the Slade School of Art in London. Zipp's work comes in the form of paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings and installations.
