Epact Scientific Instruments of Medieval and Renaissance Europe

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Georg Hartmann

Georg Hartmann was born on 9 February 1489 in Eggolsheim (between Bamberg and Erlangen). In 1506 he enrolled as a student at the university of Cologne and some years after his studies, probably between 1510 and 1518, he travelled to Italy. In about 1520 he settled in Nuremberg, where he held various religious posts until about 1525, first as prebend of St. Wapurga's church and later as pastor of St. Sebald's church. Shortly before 1523 he set up a workshop specialising in the production of scientific instruments which produced a large number of instruments, mostly sundials of various designs, but also other related instruments such as astrolabes, quadrants and astronomical and astrological compendia. His workshop is also known to have produced larger instruments such as terrestrial and celestial globes and armillary spheres, but no examples have survived. After about 1540 Hartmann began to produce non-astronomical instruments as well, mainly gunner's instruments for determining range distances, gauging cannon bores of cannons and determining the diameter of cannon balls. In 1533 Georg Hartmann published a manual on making diptych sundials, and several unpublished manuscripts containing drawings of sundials, astrolabes and other instruments have survived. He died on 8 April 8 1564.

For instruments by Georg Hartmann, see:

Astrolabe, Signed by Georg Hartmann, Nuremberg, Dated 1541 (Leiden, Boerhaave)

Astrolabe, Signed by Georg Hartmann, Nuremberg, Dated 1542 (Oxford, MHS)

Astrolabe, Signed by Georg Hartmann, Nuremberg, Dated 1545 (Firenze, IMSS)

Astrolabe, Signed by Georg Hartmann, Nuremberg, Dated 1537 (London, BM)

Astrolabe, Signed by Georg Hartmann, Nuremberg, Dated 1532 (London, BM)

Astrolabe, Signed by Georg Hartmann, Nuremberg, Dated 1527 (Oxford, MHS)

Crucifix Dial, Signed by Georg Hartmann, Nuremberg, Dated 1541 (London, BM)

Diptych Dial, Signed by Georg Hartmann, Nuremberg, Dated 1562 (London, BM)

Diptych Dial, Signed by Georg Hartmann, Nuremberg, Dated 1562 (Oxford, MHS)

Scaphe Dial, Signed by Georg Hartmann, Nuremberg, Dated 1539 (Oxford, MHS)

References: E. Zinner, Deutsche und Niederl?ndische astronomische Instrumente des 11. bis 18. Jahrhunderts (2nd ed., Munich, 1967), pp. 357-68, and p. 682; H. G. Klemm, "Georg Hartmann aus Eggolsheim (1489-1564): Leben und Werk eines fr?nkischen Mathematikers und Ingenieurs", Wissenschaftliche und k?nstlerische Beitr?ge Ehrenb?rg-Gymnasium Forchheim, 8 (1990).