D-Texte

JOHANN FRIEDRICH PENTHER (1693–1749), Professor of Mathematics and Economy, General Building Inspector of the University, Johann Jakob Haid, ca. 1750, mezzotint, Art collection of the University of Göttingen

GEORG GOTTLOB RICHTER (1694–1773), Professor of Medicine, Johann Jakob Haid, ca. 1752, mezzotint, Art collection of the University of Göttingen

JOHANN MATTHIAS GESNER (1691–1761), Professor of Poetry and Rhetoric, First Director of the Library, Johann Jakob Haid, ca. 1745, mezzotint, Art collection of the University of Göttingen

Due to the particularly velvety modelling, the art of mezzotint was a suitable technique for scientific illustrations. For his unfinished project of a moon globe, Tobias Mayer had his drawings of the surface of the celestial body carried out in individual segments as mezzotint because the craters and hills are particularly well accentuated in this

HAND DRAWING OF A SEGMENT FROM TOBIAS MAYERS’ UNFINISHED MOON GLOBE PROJECT, Tobias Mayer, date unknown (around 1750), drawing, State and University Library of Göttingen

COPPER PRINT PLATE FOR TOBIAS MAYERS’ UNFINISHED MOON GLOBE PROJECT, date unknown (around 1750), copper, Collection of historical objects at the Institute for Astrophysics, University of Göttingen

In the 17th century, portrait books of scholars became especially popular. Jean-Jacques Boissard’s portraits, which debuted in Frankfurt/Main between 1697-1599, became very well known. FRONTISPIECE, Jean Jacques Boissard: Bibliotheca chalcographica illustrium virtute […], Heidelberg 1669, State and University Library of Göttingen