Verbiest's Prints

In the exhibition we were able to present only a selection from Ferdinand Verbiest’s Xinzhi Yixiangtu. All 105 of the prints are available here. Click on a thumbnail for larger versions, or choose a group from the list of themes such as astronomy and mechanics.

Theme: Mathematical [15]

A simple clinometer (left), set square with plumb line for use as a level (middle), and plumb line with ruler (right) Dividers with arcs (top), fixed proportional dividers (bottom left), proportional dividers (bottom middle), and simple dividers (bottom right) Single-handed compasses with caliper blade inserts (left), basic calipers (bottom middle), and cylindrical compasses for measuring spheres and tubes (right) Beam compasses (right and left), and the preperation of a graduated scale on a large ring (centre) Dividers of various construction with a variety of blade inserts Triangular beam compass (left) and three-legged dividers (right) Use of a fixed divider to graduate a globe to correspond to its meridian ring, also illustrations of two similar dividers (bottom) Use of dividers (left) and a grid square (right) Scale rulers/sectors Use of scale rulers/sectors (top background) and a stencil drawing compass with a variety of stencils (lower foreground) Use of a graduated tracers on a sphere (top left) and a horizontal ring (bottom left), the use of dividers to measure height of a central point (right top), the use of a set square and plumb bob as level (right bottom), and an illustration of a graduated tracer with round engraving point (middle) An elliptical compass (top left), drawing an ellipsis with a rope (middle left), instrument to engrave parallel lines (bottom left), an instrument for drawing conic sections (top right), and drawing a curve using a tracer and rope (bottom right) Illustration about how to set parallel lines (right) and a drawing instrument (left) Pantometer or Graphometer Illustration of a projectiles trajectory, as timed with a pendulum and measured by a gunners level