Petrus Apianus (April 16, 1495 – April 21, 1552),[1] also known asPeter Apian,Peter Bennewitz, andPeter Bienewitz, was a Germanhumanist, known for his works inmathematics,astronomy andcartography.[2] His work on "cosmography", the field that dealt with the earth and its position in the universe, was presented in his most famous publications,Astronomicum Caesareum (1540) andCosmographicus liber (1524). His books were extremely influential in his time, with the numerous editions in multiple languages being published until 1609. The lunar craterApianus and asteroid19139 Apian are named in his honour.[2]
Apianus was born as Peter Bienewitz (orBennewitz) inLeisnig inSaxony; his father, Martin, was ashoemaker. The family was relatively well off, belonging to the middle-class citizenry of Leisnig. Apianus was educated at theLatin school inRochlitz. From 1516–1519 he studied at theUniversity of Leipzig; during this time, he Latinized his name toApianus (lat.apis means "bee"; "Biene" is the German word for bee).
In 1519, Apianus moved toVienna and continued his studies at theUniversity of Vienna, which was considered one of the leading universities in geography and mathematics at the time and whereGeorg Tannstetter taught. When theplague broke out in Vienna in 1521, he completed his studies with aB.A. and moved toRegensburg and then toLandshut. At Landshut, he produced hisCosmographicus Liber (1524), a highly respected work onastronomy andnavigation which was to see more than 40 reprints in four languages (Latin; French, 1544; Dutch, 1545; Spanish, 1548) and that remained popular until the end of the 16th century.[3] Later editions were produced byGemma Frisius.[4]
Cordiform projection in a map of the world by Peter Apianus (1524) which is one of the earliest maps that shows America.[5][6]
In 1527, Peter Apianus was called to theUniversity of Ingolstadt as a mathematician and printer. His print shop started small. Among the first books he printed were the writings ofJohann Eck,Martin Luther's antagonist. This print shop was active between 1543 and 1540 and became well known for its high-quality editions of geographic and cartographic works.[citation needed] It is thought that he usedstereotype printing techniques on woodblocks.[7] The printer's logo included the mottoIndustria superat vires in Greek, Hebrew, and Latin around the figure of a boy.[8]
Through his work, Apianus became a favourite ofemperorCharles V, who had praisedCosmographicus liber at theImperial Diet of 1530 and granted him a printing monopoly in 1532 and 1534. In 1535, the emperor made Apianus anarmiger, i.e. granted him the right to display acoat of arms. In 1540, Apianus printed theAstronomicum Caesareum, dedicated to Charles V. Charles promised him a truly royal sum (3,000 goldenguilders),[a] appointed him his court mathematician, and made him aReichsritter (a free imperial knight) and in 1544 even anImperial Count Palatine. All this furthered Apianus's reputation as an eminent scientist.Astronomicum Caesareum is noted for its visual appeal. Printed and bound decoratively, with about 100 known copies,[10] it included severalVolvelles that allowed users to calculate dates, the positions of constellations and so on.[11][12][13] Apianus noted that it took a month to produce some of the plates. Thirty-five octagonal paper cut instruments were included with woodcuts that are thought to have been made by Hans Brosamer (c. 1495–1555) who may have trained under Lucas Cranach, Sr. in Wittemberg.[14] It also incorporated star and constellation names from the work of the Arab astronomerAzophi (Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi903–986CE).[15] Apianus is also remembered for publishing the only known depiction of theBedouin constellations in 1533. On this mapUrsa Minor is an old woman and three maidens,Draco is four camels, andCepheus was illustrated as a shepherd with sheep and a dog.[16]
Despite many calls from other universities, includingLeipzig,Padua,Tübingen, andVienna, Apianus remained inIngolstadt until his death. He neglected his teaching duties. Apianus's work included in mathematics – in 1527 he published a variation ofPascal's triangle, and in 1534 a table ofsines – as well as astronomy. In 1531, he observedHalley's Comet and noted that acomet's tail always point away from the sun.[17]Girolamo Fracastoro also detected this in 1531, but Apianus's publication was the first to also include graphics. He designedsundials, published manuals for astronomical instruments and crafted volvelles ("Apian wheels"), measuring instruments useful for calculating time and distance for astronomical and astrological applications.[18][19]
Apianus married Katharina Mosner, the daughter of a councilman of Landshut, in 1526. They had fourteen children together – five girls and nine sons. One of their children wasPhilipp Apian (1531–1589), who preserved the legacy of his father, in addition to his own research.[20]
Ein newe und wolgegründete underweisung aller Kauffmanns Rechnung in dreyen Büchern, mit schönen Regeln und fragstücken begriffen, Ingolstadt 1527. A handbook of commercial arithmetic; depicted in the paintingThe Ambassadors byHans Holbein the Younger.
Cosmographiae introductio, cum quibusdam Geometriae ac Astronomiae principiis ad eam rem necessariis, Ingolstadt 1529.[22]: 4
Ein kurtzer bericht der Observation unnd urtels des jüngst erschinnen Cometen..., Ingolstadt 1532. On his comet observations.[citation needed]
^Whether Apian ever received the promised money is uncertain; in any case he wrote a letter to the emperor in 1549 asking him to finally pay the promised sum.[9]
^Röttel, Hermine; Kauzner, Wolfgang (1995). "Die Druckwerke Peter Apians [The printed works of Peter Apian]". In Röttel, K. (ed.).Peter Apian: Astronomie, Kosmographie, und Mathematik am Beginn der Neuzeit [Peter Apian: Astronomy, cosmography, and mathematics at the beginning of the modern era] (in German). Buxheim, DE / Eichstätt, DE: Polygon-Verlag. pp. 255–276.
^van den Broecke, Steven (2006). "The use of visual media in Renaissance cosmography: The cosmography of Peter Apian and Gemma Frisius".Paedagogica Historica.36:130–150.doi:10.1080/0030923000360107.S2CID143068275.
^Kern, Ralf (2010).Wissenschaftliche Instrumente in ihrer Zeit [Scientific Instruments in their Period] (in German). Vol. 1: Vom Astrolab zum mathematischen Besteck [From the astrolabe to mathematical instruments]. Köln, DE. p. 332.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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