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Otto BrunfelsGerman theologian and botanist
Country:
 Germany |
Content:
Biography of Otto Brunfels
Otto Brunfels was a German theologian and botanist, known as the author of the first botanical atlas, "Living Images of Plants". The exact date of his birth is unknown. Over 200 years before Carl Linnaeus, he was honored with the title "father of botany". A plant called Brunfelsia is named after him.
Education and Early Career
Otto Brunfels studied theology and philosophy at the University of Mainz. After completing his studies, he went to a Cartesian monastery in Mainz, and later to one in Königshofen near Strasbourg. It was in Strasbourg that he met Nikolaus Gerbel, a law student. Gerbel introduced Brunfels to the medicinal properties of plants, which inspired him to pursue his future botanical endeavors.
Botanical Works
In his botanical writings, Brunfels relied more on his own observations rather than the legacy of ancient authors. Based on these observations, he described plants. He collected the German flora through herbarium techniques and described them in his work titled "Living Images of Herbs". The work was published in three volumes between 1532 and 1537. In the German edition, released in two volumes, the plants of Germany were depicted through wood engravings by Hans Weiditz and labeled with their common names in German. Brunfels divided the plants into "perfect" ones (those with flowers) and "imperfect" ones (those without flowers).
Later Life and Medical Studies
Later on, Otto Brunfels pursued the study of medicine at the University of Basel. In 1532, he became the city physician in Bern, where he remained until the end of his days.
