August Johann Rösel von Rosenhof (1705 - 1759)

August Johann Rösel von Rosenhof

August Johann Rösel von Rosenhof was a German entomologist and zoologist, naturalist and miniature painter.

He graduated from the Nuremberg Academy of Artists and was practicing miniature painting and printmaking when he became acquainted with the works of the artist and entomologist Maria Sibylla Merian. Her famous Surinam book of 1705 inspired Rösel to create a similar book, but with illustrations of the plants and animals of Germany.

Rösel began to study natural sciences, he collected insects, caterpillars and butterflies, observed their metamorphosis and wrote down his observations accompanied by pictures. From 1740 Rösel published the results of his scientific and artistic work: the Monthly Entertainments of Insects, in four volumes. He also published Historia naturalis Ranarum nostratium, devoted to the frogs of Germany. In the quality of the illustrations this book is one of the most beautiful about these animals.