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Nom
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Danfrie Philippe
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Date de naissance
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c. 1532
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Date de mort
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after 27 June 1606
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Lieu de naissance
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Cornouailles
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Lieu de mort
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Paris
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Couverture temporelle
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2/2 16th century
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Biographie
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Nothing is known of Danfrie's career before 1556. By then he had married Jehannne Champagne and the baptism of his first child Rebecca is recorded in the registers of the church of St Bénoit 1 November 1556. A son, Nicolas, was baptised on the 29 October 1558 and five further children would be born between 1560 and 1573. In 1558 Danfrie formed an association with Richard le Breton to publish books printed in what is now known as Civilité, a printing type based on Gothic cursive script which was probably cut by Danfrie,1 who in May 1559 was described as ''Graveur de lettres'. This description occurs in a document recording his release from imprisonment in the Conciergerie. Here he had probably been confined because of his religious beliefs, for Danfrie was a crypto-Protestant. In 1561 he cut new types based on designs by the calligrapher Pierre Hamon, but his protestant leanings meant that in 1563 he was once again under surveillance. In 1566, as one of the undertakers for the publicatioin of Theodore Beza's protestant Psalter, Danfrie was again imprisoned.
Shortly after this Danfrie seems to have changed his activity. He developed a competence in mathematics and attached himself to the royal service. In August 1568 he is described as 'canonier ordinaire du Roi', and as 'ingénieur' when in the autumn of 1571 he was charged with producing stamps and dies for official jetons. In 1578 he published an astrolabe printed on paper, for mounting on wood or paper, from plates that he had himself engraved. Soon after, as well as continuing to cut types, dies and book-binders' stamps, he he engraved several other instruments (see list of known instruments below). The 2 January 1582 moreover he received royal letters patent for the post of 'tailleur général des monnaies'.
In 1588, when Henri III fled from Paris, Danfrie followed him to Tours. The following year he was confirmed in his functions when Henri IV succeeded. Although most of Danfrie's time during the following decade was occupied by mint afffairs, he was involved in the development of the 'compas optique' (a variant of the suyrveying and calculating device known as a radio latino) which was published by Milles Denorry in 1588. One example by Danfrie survives, dated from the following year. In the 1590s Danfrie returned to mathematical pursuits. In 1595 he is recorded as having made compass observations, and in 1597 he published his description of the surveying instrument that he had invented, the graphometer, together with that of the trigonometer. For this work which is printed in civilité, Danfrie designed and cut the types himself. Cutting dies, for seals, book-binding tools and medals would continue throughout the last decade of his life. In 1598 he received a post of 'Valet de Chambre du Roi'. A versatile metal-worker, Danfrie is the best known of late 16th century French instrument-makers. By his invention of the graphometer he made a lasting contribution to surveying. The instrument remained in use, with only minor changes, throughout the following three centuries.2
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Notes biographiques
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1 The partnership lasted only a year, but at least eleven books were produced during this period.
2 This account is based on Turner & Turner 69-73 which see for further details. For Danfrie in the context of the book-bindeing trade see Le Bars, 22-3.
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Bibliographie
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Declaration de dl'usage du Graphometre, par la pratique du quel l'on peut mesurer toutes distances des choses de remarque qui se pourront voir & dicerner du situ ou il sera posé: et pour arpenter terre, bois, pres, & faire plane de villes et forteresses, acrtes Geographiques, & generalement toutes mesures visibles: & sans reigle d'Arithmetique. Inventé nouvellement, et mit en lumiere par Philippe Danfrie Tailleur general des monnaies de France.
A la fin de ceste Declaration est adiousté par ledict Danfrie vn traité de l'usage du trigonometre qui est un autre instrument ayant presaue pareil vsage, aussi sans reigle d'Arithmetique, A Paris Chez ledict Danfrie, rue des Carmes. Avec privilege du Roy. 1597.
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Adresse ; enseigne ; période ; source
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Rue des Carmes Paris du Mirouer Picot
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Identifiant
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1449
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ark:/18469/1rd54