The first studies on compasses for proportional calculations were executed at the end of the 15th century and the beginning of the following century. However, it was in the second half of the 16th century that proportional compasses were improved thanks to the efforts of mathematicians active in various European countries. Galileo developed the form of the instrument that was then produced in numerous, increasingly refined variants until the end of the 18th century.
The digital library is divided into different thematic sections and provides a comprehensive overview of the history of this extraordinary invention, which is one of the most significant achievements of applied mathematics in the Western world. The digital library is an "open" research space that will be consistently updated with the contributions of scholars.
The thematic digital library is published on the occasion of the exhibition:
Circinus: Proportional Compasses from the 15th to the 18th Century, Museo Galileo, 28 June – 15 September 2024