Oronce Finé was a French mathematician and cartographer.
Life
Born in Briançon, the son and grandson of physicians, he was educated in Paris and obtained a degree in medicine in 1522. He was imprisoned in 1524, probably for practicing judicial astrology. In 1531, he was appointed to the chair of mathematics at the Collège Royal, founded by King Francis I, where he taught until his death.
Mathematics
Although primarily a populariser, Finé was one of the most prolific authors of mathematical books of his age. He worked in a wide range of mathematical fields, including practical geometry, arithmetic, optics, gnomonics, astronomy and instrumentalism. He gave the value of pi to be ≈ 3.1746 in 1544. Later, he gave ≈ 3.1333 and, in De rebus mathematicis, he gave ≈ 3.1410.
Astronomy and geography
In 1542 Finé published De mundi sphaera, a popular astronomy textbook whose woodcut illustrations were much appreciated. His writing on astronomy included guides to the use of astronomical equipment and methods. He also described more recent innovations, such as an instrument he called a méthéoroscope. Explanatory work was complemented by direct contributions. His woodcut map of France is one of the first of its kind. He constructed an ivorysundial in 1524, which still exists. Finé's heart-shaped map projection may be his most famous illustration, and was frequently employed by other notable cartographers, including Peter Apian and Gerardus Mercator. Finé attempted to reconcile discoveries in the New World with old medieval legends and information regarding the Orient. Thus, on one of his two world maps, Nova Universi Orbis Descriptio, the legend marked Asia covers both North America and Asia, which were represented as one landmass. He used the toponym "America" for South America, and thus Marco Polo's Mangi, Tangut and Catay appear on the shores of the present-day Gulf of Mexico. On the same map, Finé drew Terra Australis to the south, including the legend "recently discovered but not yet completely explored", by which he meant the discovery of Tierra del Fuego by Ferdinand Magellan. Finé's cosmography was derived from the German mathematician and cosmographer Johannes Schöner. In his study of Schöner's globes, Franz von Wieser, found that the derivation of Finé's mappemonde from them was "unmistakeable "; he said "Orontius Finaeus took from Schöner not only the 'Brasilie Regio'", but the whole Austral Continent, the Strait of Magellan, and above all the whole arrangement of lands; in a word, the mappemonde of Oronce Finé is a copy of Schöner's". Lucien Gallois also noted the undeniable ressemblance parfaite between Finé's 1531 mappemonde and Schöner's globe of 1533. As Schöner's globe of 1523, which also closely resembled Finé's mappemonde, was not identified until 1925 by Frederik Wieder, Gallois was forced to argue that Finé, who said he had been working on his mappemonde since 1521, had had direct or indirect personal communication with Schöner or had drawn upon his 1515 Luculentissima descriptio. Wieder's identification of Schöner's map gores of 1523 strengthens Gallois' case for Finé's reliance upon Schöner. Fine's 1536 world map bore a dedicatory inscription in the lower left corner, which stated:
ABOUT FIFTEEN years since, Dear Reader, we first designed, in the shape of a human heart, this universal map of the world, in gratitude to the Most Christian and Most Mighty Francis, King of the French, our most clement Maecenas. For while we saw the King, a Polymath, and uncommon Geographer, greatly pleased by all and praised by many, even in foreign countries, I wanted finally to communicate the same description of the whole globe to all students of Mathematics: which, after variations in fortune and crises in the studies we pursued, which up to now have been a hindrance to us, we have finally done at our own risk. And so, augmented and corrected by many observations of modern hydrographers, the same heart-shaped geographical image for yourself, devoted reader and for all men of goodwill, we present to a wise and liberal mind. It remains, therefore, that you will not refuse to accept this labour and industry of ours with a human appearance, and fairly and well consult it. Finally, while we strive ever more earnestly for the favour and generosity of our Most Christian and magnificent King, whose happiness and success you eagerly desire, we have shared this with you. Farewell, from Paris.
The same map bore another inscription in the lower right corner, which explained how to use the map to accurately measure the distances between places shown on it:
From the description of the world in this map, for any two locations of which the longitudes and latitudes are given, close to the true direct distance between them can be calculated. Having thus reckoned the longitudes and latitudes of the places, their places in the chart being selected at the same time, place one foot of the compasses over the other places, and extend the other over the rest. Then the compasses trace an invariant straight line, which divides the figure equally, and the degrees are distributed between them; and you will observe how many degrees the compasses take in. If you multiply these by 62 miles, or 31 French leagues, or 20 common ones, by a tenth or more, that way, you will obtain the distances of any of these places.
Death and legacy
Finé died in Paris at age 60. Jean Clouet is said to have painted a portrait of Finé in 1530, when Finé was 36. With the original painting lost, the rendering is now known only through prints derived from the original image.
