Austrian Brazil Expedition
Encyclopedia
The Austrian Expedition to Brazil (Österreichische Brasilien-Expedition) was a great expedition of scientific inquiry which explored Brazil
, with prominence in the areas of Botany
, Zoology
and Ethnography
. It was organized and financed for Austrian Empire
and ran from 1817 to 1835.
The expedition had as its main supporter Prince Klemens Wenzel von Metternich and the expedition was associated with the politically significant marriage of Dom Pedro, and the Archduchess Leopoldine, Maria Leopoldina of Austria
, von Metternich, Chancellor taking this opportunity to begin a comprehensive survey of the flora and fauna, culture, population, manufactures and other resources of Brazil. He undertook the planning and equipment of the expedition and decided on the route. Scientific planning was undertaken by Carl Franz von Schreibers
.
The contingent of fourteen naturalists included Johann Christian Mikan
, Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius
, Giuseppe Raddi
, Heinrich Wilhelm Schott
, Johann Baptist von Spix
, Johann Baptist Emanuel Pohl
, Johann Natterer
, Ferdinand Dominik Sochor (Imperial hunter and a skilled taxidermist) and the naturalist artists Thomas Ender
and Johann Buchberger.
A thirteen room "Brazilian Museum" containing 133,000 objects from the expedition was opened to the public. It was closed in 1836 and the contents integrated with those of the Hof-Naturalienkabinette.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, with prominence in the areas of Botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
, Zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
and Ethnography
Ethnography
Ethnography is a qualitative method aimed to learn and understand cultural phenomena which reflect the knowledge and system of meanings guiding the life of a cultural group...
. It was organized and financed for Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
and ran from 1817 to 1835.
The expedition had as its main supporter Prince Klemens Wenzel von Metternich and the expedition was associated with the politically significant marriage of Dom Pedro, and the Archduchess Leopoldine, Maria Leopoldina of Austria
Maria Leopoldina of Austria
Maria Leopoldina of Austria was an archduchess of Austria, Empress consort of Brazil and queen consort of Portugal....
, von Metternich, Chancellor taking this opportunity to begin a comprehensive survey of the flora and fauna, culture, population, manufactures and other resources of Brazil. He undertook the planning and equipment of the expedition and decided on the route. Scientific planning was undertaken by Carl Franz von Schreibers
Carl Franz Anton Ritter von Schreibers
Carl Franz Anton Ritter von Schreibers was an Austrian naturalist who was a native of Pressburg, Hungary, Habsburg Empire . He earned his medical doctorate from Vienna in 1798, but also studied botany, mineralogy and zoology at the university...
.
The contingent of fourteen naturalists included Johann Christian Mikan
Johann Christian Mikan
Johann Christian Mikan, was an Austrian-Czech botanist, zoologist and entomologist. He was the son of Joseph Gottfried Mikan....
, Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius
Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius
Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius was a German botanist and explorer.Martius was born at Erlangen, where he graduated M.D. in 1814, publishing as his thesis a critical catalogue of plants in the botanic garden of the university...
, Giuseppe Raddi
Giuseppe Raddi
Giuseppe Raddi was an Italian botanist.-Biography:He was apprenticed to a druggist, but obtained employment in the Museum of Natural History of Florence. Ferdinand III, Grand Duke of Tuscany, afterward became his protector, and in 1817 sent him to Brazil to study the cryptogams of the country...
, Heinrich Wilhelm Schott
Heinrich Wilhelm Schott
Heinrich Wilhelm Schott was an Austrian botanist well known for his extensive work on the aroids ....
, Johann Baptist von Spix
Johann Baptist von Spix
Dr. Johann Baptist Ritter von Spix was a German naturalist.Spix was born in Höchstadt, Middle Franconia, as the seventh of eleven children. His boyhood home is the site of the Spix Museum , opened to the public in 2004...
, Johann Baptist Emanuel Pohl
Johann Baptist Emanuel Pohl
Johann Baptist Emanuel Pohl was an Austrian botanist, entomologist, geologist, and physician.Johan Emanuel Pohl grew up in , studied in Prague and graduated as Doctor of Medicine in 1808....
, Johann Natterer
Johann Natterer
Johann Natterer was an Austrian naturalist and explorer.In 1817, Emperor Franz IIfinanced an expedition to Brazil on the occasion of the wedding of his daughter Archduchess Leopoldina to the Portuguese crown prince, Dom Pedro of Alcantara...
, Ferdinand Dominik Sochor (Imperial hunter and a skilled taxidermist) and the naturalist artists Thomas Ender
Thomas Ender
Thomas Ender was an Austrian painter.-Biography:He was twin brother of Johann Ender. He also studied at the Vienna Academy, becoming a noted landscape painter. He won the grand prize at the Vienna Academy in 1816. Going to Brazil in 1817, he brought back nearly a thousand drawings and water colors...
and Johann Buchberger.
A thirteen room "Brazilian Museum" containing 133,000 objects from the expedition was opened to the public. It was closed in 1836 and the contents integrated with those of the Hof-Naturalienkabinette.