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Juan de Alcega (16th century) was a tailor and mathematician from Basque country (Spain).
Life and work
Nothing is known about the life of Juan de Alcega. He was born in the province of Gipuzkoa, probably in the town of Hondarribia. We know, because he explains it in the introduction of his book, that he had some difficulties to publish it due to the resistances of the medieval guild of tailors, who thought that he was revealing the secrets of his art.
In 1580 he published in Madrid the book entitled Libro de Geometria, Practica y Traça. (Book on Geometry, Practice, and Pattern) , reedited in 1589. This book is a clear example of the application of mathematics to technology in his first modern states. It was also object of studies on philology by his terminology and by his exposition of the mode of his times.