Historia Naturalis Brasiliae
The Historia Naturalis Brasiliae represents a unique historical, scientific and artistic testimony to the regional studies of Brazil, which Johan Moritz von Nassau-Siegen owes during his tenure from 1637 to 1644 as "Governor General" in Dutch Brazil .
He created these prerequisites by recruiting renowned scientists and artists for his eight-year expedition to Brazil for a comprehensive natural history documentation and inventory of Brazil.
The Latin work "Historia Naturalis Brasiliae" published by Johannes de Laet in 1648 with medical and natural history treatises by Willem Piso and Georg Marggraf provides a detailed, richly illustrated description of the history, regional and natural history and flora and fauna of Brazil for the first time and has inspired later researchers for centuries. For a long time the book was the only work with scientific claims on botany, zoology, ethnology and medicine in Brazil. The Theatrum rerum naturalium Brasiliae , which emerged from the same research into Brazil under Johan Moritz von Nassau-Siegen, was never printed.
In addition to Piso and Margrave, the Dutch painters Frans Post and Albert Eckhout as well as the architect and engineer Pieter Post , brother of the painter Frans, played a key role in the survey.
output
- Willem Piso and Georg Marggraf: Historia naturalis Brasiliae in qua non tantum plantae et animalia, sed et indigenarum morbi, ingenia et mores describuntur et iconibus supra quingentas illustrantur , Lugdun. Batavorum: Apud Franciscum Hackium; et Amstelodami: Apud Lud. Elzevirium 1648 full text
Web links
- University of Siegen: Johan Moritz in Brazilian and German History (pdf; 448 kB)
- Historia Naturalis Brasilia on MBG Rare Books