19th Century mathematician Oliver Byrne thought so, and he might just be right. — Oliver Byrne’s Edition of Euclid’s “Elements” Described as “a true Matisse of mathematics,” Oliver Byrne (1810–1880) was an eccentric Irish civil engineer and mathematician. He is best known for his gorgeous, and highly colorful, edition of Euclid’s Elements, published in 1847. Compared to other editions of Euclid’s famous work, Byrne’s is unique. Instead of using letters…