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Conrad Gessner (1516–1565)
Universal Scholar and Natural Scientist of the Renaissance
Series: - Medieval and Early Modern Philosophy and Science, Volume: 38
Author:
Translator:
The Zurich polymath Conrad Gessner (1516–1565) is known as the founder of zoology and plant geography, the father of bibliography, editor of ancient texts, and author of one of the most important paleontological works of the sixteenth century. While preparing his extensive work on plants, he died unexpectedly and early from the plague. Gessner's interest in the natural sciences was rooted, on the one hand, in the new conception of nature that emerged with the Renaissance, and, on the other hand, in the creation theology of the Reformation, which considered nature as a second book of God's revelation next to the Bible. This richly illustrated and erudite biography is the first biography of Gessner to appear in English.
This biography is a translation of Conrad Gessner (1516-1565): Universalgelehrter und Naturforscher der Renaissance (Basel: NZZ Libro, 2016).
This biography is a translation of Conrad Gessner (1516-1565): Universalgelehrter und Naturforscher der Renaissance (Basel: NZZ Libro, 2016).
Urs B. Leu, Dr. phil. in History (1990, University of Zürich) is Director of the Rare Book Department at the Zentralbibliothek Zürich. He has published extensively on Conrad Gessner and the Swiss reformation as well as the history of science.
"This new book about Gessner will undoubtedly serve the learned public well and inspire further research. Thanks to Urs Leu, future researchers will stand on solid biographical and bibliographical ground."
Mikhail Sergeyev in New Literary Observer 2024 (translated from Russian)
DOI: 10.53953/08696365_2024_187_3_380
Praise for the German edition:
“Beyond the claim of being an “intellectual biography,” the book offers rich and detailed insights into sixteenth-century Zurich, a city Gessner only left for a few years when he was a student. One appreciates not only Leu’s local knowledge and embedding in today’s intellectual discourse of the city, but also his extensive familiarity with Zurich’s treasure of old books published in the time of Gessner.”
Tilmann Walter, University of Würzburg. In: Gesnerus, Vol. 74, No. 1 (2017), pp. 141–143.
“With his comprehensive description of the diverse interests and activities of the Zurich scholar Conrad Gessner, Urs B. Leu has succeeded in writing an appealing biography. […] The book is a very valuable contribution to the (re)discovery of an important Swiss scholar of the European Renaissance, and invites readers to discover the figure of Conrad Gessner.”
Simona Boscani Leoni, University of Bern. In: H-Soz-Kult, 13.04.2017.
Mikhail Sergeyev in New Literary Observer 2024 (translated from Russian)
DOI: 10.53953/08696365_2024_187_3_380
Praise for the German edition:
“Beyond the claim of being an “intellectual biography,” the book offers rich and detailed insights into sixteenth-century Zurich, a city Gessner only left for a few years when he was a student. One appreciates not only Leu’s local knowledge and embedding in today’s intellectual discourse of the city, but also his extensive familiarity with Zurich’s treasure of old books published in the time of Gessner.”
Tilmann Walter, University of Würzburg. In: Gesnerus, Vol. 74, No. 1 (2017), pp. 141–143.
“With his comprehensive description of the diverse interests and activities of the Zurich scholar Conrad Gessner, Urs B. Leu has succeeded in writing an appealing biography. […] The book is a very valuable contribution to the (re)discovery of an important Swiss scholar of the European Renaissance, and invites readers to discover the figure of Conrad Gessner.”
Simona Boscani Leoni, University of Bern. In: H-Soz-Kult, 13.04.2017.
Contents
Preface
Abbreviations
List of Illustrations
1 Early Years
1.1 Gessner’s Teachers
1.2 Humanism in Zürich
2 The Traveling Student
2.1 Paris and Bourges
3 Marriage and Medical Studies
3.1 Basel
3.2 First Publications
4 Three Happy Years in Lausanne
4.1 Works from Western Switzerland
5 Montpellier
6 Lyon
7 Doctorate in Basel
8 Return to Zürich
8.1 Travels in the Alps
8.2 Publications on Classics
8.3 Martial Edition
8.4 Author Royalties
9 Professor of Natural Sciences
9.1 Teaching Material
9.2 Study Guide
9.3 Theatrum Galeni
9.4 Loci-Collections
9.5 Lectures
9.6 Students
10 The World of Books
10.1 Diego Hurtado de Mendoza
10.2 The Hunt for Greek Manuscripts
10.3 Venice: Book Publishing Metropolis
10.4 Bibliotheca universalis
10.5 Pandectarum libri and Partitiones theologicae
10.6 Relationships with Printers
11 Augsburg Intermezzo
12 The Animal Books – A Renaissance Noah’s Arc
12.1 Natural Theology
12.2 Autopsy
12.3 Zoo
12.4 Museum
12.5 Organization
12.6 Mythical Creatures
12.7 Network and Images
12.8 Price and Distribution
12.9 The History of Its Impact
13 Philological Works
13.1 Mithridates
13.2 Classic Editions
14 Second Stay in Augsburg and the Imperial Grant of Arms
15 Botany
15.1 Technical Literature
15.2 Nomenclature and Classification
15.3 Friendly Favors
15.4 Botanical Gardens
15.5 Excursions
15.6 History of Plants
15.7 The Mattioli Affair
16 Medicine and Pharmacology
16.1 A Compendium of Remedies
16.2 Paracelsus
16.3 Self-experiments and Animal Experiments
16.4 Balneology
16.5 Medical Text Editions
16.6 Medical Practice
16.7 Municipal Physician
17 Freaks, Monsters and Northern Lights
18 Earth Sciences
19 Testament and Estate
Appendix 1: Gessner’s Testament
Appendix 2: Additions to Gessner’s Private Library
Appendix 3: Gessner’s Correspondence
Literature
Index of Names
Preface
Abbreviations
List of Illustrations
1 Early Years
1.1 Gessner’s Teachers
1.2 Humanism in Zürich
2 The Traveling Student
2.1 Paris and Bourges
3 Marriage and Medical Studies
3.1 Basel
3.2 First Publications
4 Three Happy Years in Lausanne
4.1 Works from Western Switzerland
5 Montpellier
6 Lyon
7 Doctorate in Basel
8 Return to Zürich
8.1 Travels in the Alps
8.2 Publications on Classics
8.3 Martial Edition
8.4 Author Royalties
9 Professor of Natural Sciences
9.1 Teaching Material
9.2 Study Guide
9.3 Theatrum Galeni
9.4 Loci-Collections
9.5 Lectures
9.6 Students
10 The World of Books
10.1 Diego Hurtado de Mendoza
10.2 The Hunt for Greek Manuscripts
10.3 Venice: Book Publishing Metropolis
10.4 Bibliotheca universalis
10.5 Pandectarum libri and Partitiones theologicae
10.6 Relationships with Printers
11 Augsburg Intermezzo
12 The Animal Books – A Renaissance Noah’s Arc
12.1 Natural Theology
12.2 Autopsy
12.3 Zoo
12.4 Museum
12.5 Organization
12.6 Mythical Creatures
12.7 Network and Images
12.8 Price and Distribution
12.9 The History of Its Impact
13 Philological Works
13.1 Mithridates
13.2 Classic Editions
14 Second Stay in Augsburg and the Imperial Grant of Arms
15 Botany
15.1 Technical Literature
15.2 Nomenclature and Classification
15.3 Friendly Favors
15.4 Botanical Gardens
15.5 Excursions
15.6 History of Plants
15.7 The Mattioli Affair
16 Medicine and Pharmacology
16.1 A Compendium of Remedies
16.2 Paracelsus
16.3 Self-experiments and Animal Experiments
16.4 Balneology
16.5 Medical Text Editions
16.6 Medical Practice
16.7 Municipal Physician
17 Freaks, Monsters and Northern Lights
18 Earth Sciences
19 Testament and Estate
Appendix 1: Gessner’s Testament
Appendix 2: Additions to Gessner’s Private Library
Appendix 3: Gessner’s Correspondence
Literature
Index of Names
All interested in the history of science, humanism, and the Reformation. Keywords: history of science, history of the early modern period, Reformation, Renaissance, Conrad Gessner, classics, bibliography, history of the book, history of zoology, history of botany, history of medicine.