Acta Historica Astronomiae Vol. 9 - Herbst

Traces to the mechanic's workshop: Gottfried Teuber's copper engraving and woodcut illustrations for Erhard Weigel

Klaus-Dieter Herbst, Jena

Abstract

From the spectrum of nonverbal representations in the history of science, three inconspicuous documentary images are introduced. They are a copper engraving and two woodcuts prepared by Gottfried Teuber for two astronomical reports by Erhard Weigel. It is shown that attention to otherwise apparently unremarkable copperplate or woodcut artisans can lead to material on the as yet insufficiently examined relationship between first-rank scholars and their assistants. It is demonstrated, furthermore, that in 1680 Weigel operated a mechanic's workshop in Jena in which Teuber built instruments.

Bibliographical details:

Klaus-Dieter Herbst: Traces to the mechanic's workshop: Gottfried Teuber's copper engraving and woodcut illustrations for Erhard Weigel. In: Klaus Hentschel, Axel D. Wittmann (Eds.): The Role of Visual Representations in Astronomy: History and Research Practice (Acta Historica Astronomiae ; 9). Thun ; Frankfurt am Main : Deutsch, 2000, p. 53-65.