Bessler portrait - hi-res

[ME]

AB Hammer,
If that thing is a bubble balancer how would it work?

I don't know how it would be centered but I guess the simplest way would be a drop of oil floating on water.
The ornaments on the side, or whirling things inside, would obfuscate the readings when looking from the top.
While at the top there's an ornamental peak, which could be used to line things up, and a little hazardous for the eye.

I would guess a plumb-line would be more convenient, perhaps with a conic support; but then there's no need for a scale halfway.

Marchello E.

[AB Hammer]

Marchello E

When I was young. I use to work on tires and used a bubble balancer (spirit level) to balance out tires. It only takes a simple hollow bead filled with a light oil with a little air to make the bubble. I noted that at the top was a bead that could be used and being on a cone leave me with little doubt. It can be very small as some examples here on this link.

https://www.google.com/search?q=glass+b ... Qt_fROM%3A

Also here is an antique bead type spirit level I found.

[AB Hammer]

Here is another type of balancer that don't require the bubble. It is used to balance lawn mower blades but can still balance a wheel with.

[ME]

Nice one!
But did they have those in the early 1700's?

[Stewart]

But how does it function on such a small scale? (the one found here is from 1788-1804)

I only posted the large version as I thought it depicted the ornate frame that some of these things have and also the concept of looking through a viewfinder from underneath, compared with the type of navigational sextants that use mirrors that most people are familiar with. Small ones existed that you could hold in your hand above your head, but these were undoubted more difficult to use. I don't think you should get too hung up on the exact size of the one depicted, it's probably more symbolic than depicting a real model of an astronomical sextant. If you're in any doubt that it's a sextant, then just measure its angle. It's exactly 60 degrees (1/6th of a circle - which is where a sextant gets its name). There are also some small scale markings along the arc. I understand how the shading gives the impression of a conical look, but it's not significant enough in the face of all the other similarities to conclude it's anything other than an astronomical sextant.

All the objects on the table can be identified as astronomical equipment. Among them are a cross-staff (Jacob's staff), a quadrant (1/4 of a circle - hence the name), a sextant and an octant (1/8th of a circle). These four items are all used for measuring angles of celestial bodies, and if the item in question wasn't a sextant, then a sextant is strangely absent from the table.

The figure depicted is an astronomer in the classic astronomer's pose holding dividers against a celestial globe. All the tools of the profession are laid out on the table in front of him.

Bessler never describes himself as a professional astronomer, and neither does anyone else. However, he certainly did do some astronomy as he had telescopes and other equipment listed in his possession after his death. If this was an original portrait of Bessler, then it would seem unnecessary to remove the face. If this portrait was made or commissioned by Bessler, and not taken from an existing print or woodcut, then why are there penned corrections to the printed text below it.

For information about the text below the portrait, please read my topic 'Werkzeug (tool)':
http://www.besslerwheel.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4419

We think we've identified four unique versions of the portraits in copies of DT so far. The unique images can be identified by the penned corrects to the text below, as every copy has the penned alterations and of course they are never exactly the same. I think I've seen at least eight other copies of DT without portraits, but I'd have to do a more recent count as more digital copies are available online since I last counted.

It is possible that a known astronomer's portrait was used, or even an image from a book depicting a non-specific person. It's possible that alterations could have been made to the background to add other equipment related to Bessler, but that would probably have involved having access to the original woodcut block (or copperplate).

There's clearly a reason and possible message behind adding this second portrait, whether by Bessler himself or someone else, and I'd suggest reading my 'Werkzeug' topic for some possible insight into that. However, I'd be very wary of looking for "codes" in the geometry or specific details of an image of dubious origin.

Stewart

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob%27s_staff
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadrant_(instrument)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sextant_(astronomical)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octant_(instrument)

[ME]

Nice read, thanks !

There is a knob on the rightside of that thing (hardly a lost button), so that could be the eyepiece.

Addition moved to appropriate topic: Post subject: Werkzeug (tool)

[AB Hammer]

The knob seems to be floating by it, but no shown attachment. I measured it at 55 degrees even though at a glance it seems to be 60 degrees. Now we have to consider that this is a wood carving and mistakes can be made, But the base edge is done as a cone shape rim wrapping around the lower edge. another possible would be a debarring or pipe reamer. Bessler did work on pipe organs.

[daxwc]

Stewart:

Bessler never describes himself as a professional astronomer, and neither does anyone else.

I believe you are mistaken Stewart, he did call himself an expert.


IX.
And so, amongst other skills, I gradually learned how to make
clocks, blow glass, paint pictures and do copperplate engravings.
I became also a master in enamelling and wax modelling. I
became an expert in astronomical matters and in the calculation
of calendars. The surveying of woods, meadows and fields was
another serious pursuit for me. AP digital pg 281

[Stewart]

I believe you are mistaken Stewart, he did call himself an expert.

I believe it's you who are mistaken daxwc. ;-)

Here's what Bessler actually says:

"Now I learnt among other things,
gradually to make clocks,
glass-blowing, to paint fine/beautiful pictures,
also to be skilled in copperplate-engraving.
I was a master in lacquering/enamelling,
and learnt also in wax moulding/modelling,
I calculated the motion of the heavenly bodies,
and drew up calendars. ..."

There's quite a difference between "I became an expert in astronomical matters and in the calculation of calendars" and "I calculated the motion of the heavenly bodies, and drew up calendars.".

But anyway, my point was he's never announced himself to be a professional astronomer. Cleric, Doctor, Mathematician, Inventor of Perpetual Motion, Councillor of Commerce, but not Astronomer.

Under his portrait he gives his title as: Hoch Fürstl: Hess: Commerc: Rath
M:P. Mathem: ud. Invent: des Perpet: Mobil:

Nothing about an astronomer, and yet the overlay portrait is befitting of someone who is predominantly an astronomer. That's odd don't you think?

Stewart

[daxwc]

Stewart:

Nothing about an astronomer, and yet the overlay portrait is befitting of someone who is predominantly an astronomer. That's odd don't you think?

Well maybe if it didn't have so many other pursuits that he claimed knowledge in organs, clocks, air gun, carpenter tools, engraving tools, alchemic symbol and bottles. Highly unlikely somebody had all the same interests don’t you think? Some of the stuff on the table maybe related to his land surveying skills as there is an overlap into astronomy.

Anyway I think you would have to convince me it is not Bessler rather than the other way around. The portraits are in his book not somebody else’s, with all the skills he claims (we know there are sextants and astronomy instruments in his estate) so the burden of proof has to be on excluding him. I would love to believe the portrait is Drebbel but I can’t find any evidence for that.

[Ed]

If the face that was cut out is not Bessler, then it is not a portrait of Bessler.

The actual portrait of Bessler was likely created for his job (it basically says so underneath) and, like a book signing, ended up stuck in a few copies of DT and later got bound in.

[barksalot]

My thought on the cone shaped item is that it is a air filter on an intake tube for an organ. Just a hunch on my part, I may have seen something similar on some television show once.

[johannesbender]

i believe that is just a quadrant , either just a model of one or perhaps a working one ,or perhaps just drawn small,but it appears to be a quadrant to me.

its just decorated on the inside .

like this one of tycho brahe's intruments in the picture.
...

edit: "to paint fine/beautiful pictures,
also to be skilled in copperplate-engraving. "

what ?,wait , he painted and engraved too ? , would be intresting if it were possible to find anything he painted etc.

any way the artist :

christian fritzsch:

Fritzsch the son of a shepherd was in Saxony, and received his first musical training at Martin Bernigeroth in Leipzig. From there he moved to his friend, the portrait painter Johann Salomon Wahl, who was also originally from Saxony, settled in Hamburg and operated from there the royal Danish court with portraits. Fritzsch received Hamburg citizenship on 8 April 1718th He was court engraver of the Duke Karl Friedrich von Holstein-Gottorp, who gave him a villa in Schiffbek which became his center of life. Christian Fritzsch made numerous portraits of contemporaries and after paintings, including oil portraits of Balthasar Denner active in Altona, as templates. Many of his engravings served as book illustrations. His sons Christian Friedrich Fritzsch and Johann Christian Gottfried Fritzsch were also engravers under his guidance. By Christian Friedrich is a portrait of his father received from the 1734 as an early work.

A younger brother of Christian Fritzsch is just like his friend Johann Salomon Wahl have been students of the Leipzig painter David Hoyer Portrait, who also worked for the royal Danish court.


https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Cate ... uselang=de

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Fritzsch

Christian Friedrich Fritzsch:

Fritzsch the son of the engraver Christian Fritzsch, also his younger brother Johann Christian Gottfried Fritzsch had been an engraver. Both learned the profession in childhood by her father in his workshop in Schiffbek. Temporary Christian Friedrich Fritzsch worked as a university engraver at the University of Göttingen and signed there in 1739 the portrait of fencing master Anton Friedrich Kahn (1713-1797) with the addition of "Acad. Goetting. Sculptor ". [1] Together with his brother he was probably busy 1742-1772 in Amsterdam for various publishers with the creation of book illustrations.

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian ... h_Fritzsch

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Cate ... uselang=de

Johann Christian Gottfried Fritzsch:

Fritzsch the son of the engraver Christian Fritzsch, also his older brother Christian Friedrich Fritzsch was was engraver, both learned the profession in childhood by her father in his workshop in Schiffbek. He worked in Leipzig and Amsterdam, before he returned to Hamburg, where he "died in poverty" according to Thieme-Becker. He stabbed numerous book illustrations and portraits.

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Ch ... d_Fritzsch

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Cate ... uselang=de

....
excuse the google translate bloobers .

they learned from theire father ,so the styles are more or less the same..

[johannesbender]

see the hands etc..