François Blondel and the "Résolution des quatre principaux problèmes d'architecture" (1673)

Abstract

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From Mediaeval Stonecutting to Projective Geometry

“…In order to do so, he rotates the section plane along an axis of the elliptical directrix until it reaches a position where the second axis of the planar section equals the length of the first axis, which is fixed, since it is also acting as rotation axis. Such an operation is fairly easy in an elliptical cylinder, and in fact it finds precedents in stonecutting literature [Martínez de Aranda c. 1600, 16;Blondel 1673;Gerbino 2005]. However, the same procedure cannot be applied to an elliptical cone, since the centres of the circular sections do not lie on the axis of the cone; the solution to this problem would not be found until Theodore Olivier's period [1843][1844].…”