Hieronymus Bock(1498-1554) was a German botanist, physician, and Lutheran minister who began the transition from medieval botany to the modern scientific worldview by arranging plants by their relation or resemblance. The Three German fathers of Botany are: theologian & botanist Otto Brunfels(c 1489-1534); botanist, physician, & Lutheran minister Hieronymus Bock(1498-1554); & physician Leonhart Fuchs (1501-1566). Brunfels authored Herbarum vivae eicones, with his own descriptions & 135 images directly from nature. Bock published Kreütterbuch darin unterscheidt Nammen und Würckung der Kreütter. Fuchs published his De historia stirpium commentarii insignes in Basel in 1542, which he illustrated 10 years later with woodcuts.
In 1519 Bock enrolled at the university of Heidelberg. He married Eva Victor in 1523, and was schoolteacher in Zweibrücken for 9 years. He became the prince's physician & caretaker of the kitchen garden of the Count Palatine. In 1533, he received a life-time position as a Lutheran minister in nearby Hornbach, where he stayed up to his death in 1554.
The 1st edition of his Kreutterbuch (literally "plant book") appeared in 1539 unillustrated; his stated objectives were to describe German plants, including their names, characteristics, and medical uses. Instead of following Dioscorides as was traditional, he developed his own system to classify 700 plants. Bock apparently traveled widely through the German region observing the plants for himself, since he includes ecological and distributional observations. His 1546 Kreutterbuch or "herbal" was illustrated by the artist David Kandel.
Hieronymus Bock (1498-1554) His 1546 herbal had 550 woodcuts by David Kandel. Beech Tree
Hieronymus Bock (1498-1554) His 1546 herbal had 550 woodcuts by David Kandel. Boxwood
Hieronymus Bock (1498-1554) His 1546 herbal had 550 woodcuts by David Kandel. Cherry Tree
Hieronymus Bock (1498-1554) His 1546 herbal had 550 woodcuts by David Kandel. Date Palm
Hieronymus Bock (1498-1554) His 1546 herbal had 550 woodcuts by David Kandel. Elm Tree
Hieronymus Bock (1498-1554) His 1546 herbal had 550 woodcuts by David Kandel. Fig Tree
Hieronymus Bock (1498-1554) His 1546 herbal had 550 woodcuts by David Kandel. Grapes
Hieronymus Bock (1498-1554) His 1546 herbal had 550 woodcuts by David Kandel. Lime Tree
Hieronymus Bock (1498-1554) His 1546 herbal had 550 woodcuts by David Kandel. Maple Tree
Hieronymus Bock (1498-1554) His 1546 herbal had 550 woodcuts by David Kandel. Mulberry Tree
Hieronymus Bock (1498-1554) His 1546 herbal had 550 woodcuts by David Kandel. Oak Tree
Hieronymus Bock (1498-1554) His 1546 herbal had 550 woodcuts by David Kandel. Pear Tree
