Johan Theodor Holmskjold
Encyclopedia
Johan Theodor Holmskiold (14 June 1731 – 15 September 1793) was a Danish
botanist
, courtier and administrator.
on the Danish island of Funen
as the oldest of eight children to Nicolai Holm and Cathrine Lucie née v. Lengerchen. He first trained with his farther who was a surgeon before studying medicine at the University of Copenhagen
, graduating in 1760.
During the last three years of his studies, from 1757 to 1769, he toured Europe
with professor Friis Rottbøll who paid for his travels. They visited a number of universities in Germany
, the Netherlands and France
and formed many close bonds with prominent colleagues. In Leiden and Paris
Holm collected specimens for a herbarium
which was later presented to the King as a gift.
In 1762 he became a professor in medicine and natural history at Sorø Academy
. There he founded a botanical garden before leaving the academy with a pension in 1765. At that point he also abandoned his medical career for good, instead turning to various administrative pursuits and his interest in botany.
in Copenhagen
, a position which he held until his death in 1793. From 1772, he also served as cabinet secretary for Dowager Queen Juliana Maria
, stepmother of King Christian VII
. She held him in high esteem.
Due to his good relations with the royal family, particularly the Queen, he was, in the early 1770s, contacted by Frantz Heinrich Müller, a pharmacist and mineralogist who was setting up a porcelain factory. This led to the foundation of the Royal Danish Porcelain Factory
in 1775, with the King as a co-owner, Juliana Maria as a protector and Holmskiold as its first director-in-chief. In 1779, he took full control of the company and remained head of the factory for the rest of his life.
In 1778, he was appointed as one of two directors for a new botanical garden at Charlottenborg. It was created as a joint venture between the University and the King, each of whom was to appoint a director. The first university appointment was Christen Friis Rottbøll
, Holmskiold's old teacher and travel companion from his student years, while the King chose Holmskiold.
Holmskiold advanced rapidly through the ranks and was ennobled under the name of Holmskiold in 1781. On the same occasion, he was made a Knight of the Order of the Danneborg
and in 1884 was given the title of Gehejmeråd
.
. The first volume was not published until 1790, and the second posthumously in 1796, but the work relies on the studies he conducted during the two short years he spent in Aarhus after leaving Sorø Academy and prior to his employment with the Danish Postal Services. In Aarhus, Holmskiold had observed and documented the fungi he found and he also commissioned artist Johan Neander to make detailed full-scale drawings of the specimens he collected and described.
Holmskjold's initial engagement with the postal services was most likely a fairly easy task which left him with sufficient time to work on his study of fungi. A first draft, at least of the first volume, was completed as early as 1770. It focussed on Agaricaceae
, Clavariaceae
and Discomycetes
, but Holmskiold was dissatisfied with the book and chose not to publish it at this stage, probably because he got distracted by other pursuits.
Among its 74 described specimens, Beata contains 57 newly-named fungi, five new combinations and 52 totally new taxa.
The work received particular appreciation for its renderings, prompting the Swedish botanist Anders Jahan Retzius
(1742–1821) to call it "the most brilliant work which had appeared up to that time". He went on to name a genus of flowering shrubs Holmskioldia
in Holmskjold's honour. The Harvard University Herbaria describes the illustrations as "stunningly rendered, impeccably accurate, and beautiful illustrations.
and published several articles in its various journals, including one on catfish
which relied on his observations in Lake Sorø during his years at Sorø Academy.
after his fiancée Sophia Magdalena de Schrødersee (1746–1801). They married on 21 December 1770. Holmskjold also acquired five farms in the area.
In 1882, the year after his ennoblement, he commissioned the architect J.B. Guione to build him a new and larger country house on a tract of land at the southern tip of Lake Bagsværd. The building, which became known as Aldershvile, was not completed until 1790. It was a white building with a hipped roof clad in blue-glazed tiles and was surrounded by a 12-hectare English-style landscaped garden with a canal system.
Johan Theodor Holmskiold died on 15 September 1793, not long after the completion of his new home. P.F. Suhm
wrote an epitaph in Latin about him. It turned out that he was heavily indebted and that he was guilty of embezzlement against both the Queen, the Postal Services and the Royal Porcelain Factory. The Aldershvile estate was subsequently sold to Adolph Ribbing, a Swedish count who had been exiled for his involvement in the murder of King Gustav III of Sweden
.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
botanist
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...
, courtier and administrator.
Early life and career
Johan Theodor was born 14 June 1731 in NyborgNyborg
Nyborg is a city in central Denmark, located in Nyborg Municipality on the island of Funen and with a population of 16,492 . Nyborg is one of the 14 large municipalities created on 1 January 2007...
on the Danish island of Funen
Funen
Funen , with a size of 2,984 km² , is the third-largest island of Denmark following Zealand and Vendsyssel-Thy, and the 163rd largest island of the world. Funen is located in the central part of the country and has a population of 454,358 inhabitants . The main city is Odense, connected to the...
as the oldest of eight children to Nicolai Holm and Cathrine Lucie née v. Lengerchen. He first trained with his farther who was a surgeon before studying medicine at the University of Copenhagen
University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...
, graduating in 1760.
During the last three years of his studies, from 1757 to 1769, he toured Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
with professor Friis Rottbøll who paid for his travels. They visited a number of universities in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, the Netherlands and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and formed many close bonds with prominent colleagues. In Leiden and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
Holm collected specimens for a herbarium
Herbarium
In botany, a herbarium – sometimes known by the Anglicized term herbar – is a collection of preserved plant specimens. These specimens may be whole plants or plant parts: these will usually be in a dried form, mounted on a sheet, but depending upon the material may also be kept in...
which was later presented to the King as a gift.
In 1762 he became a professor in medicine and natural history at Sorø Academy
Sorø Academy
Sorø Academy is a boarding school and public gymnasium located in the small town of Sorø, Denmark. It traces its history back to the 12th century when Bishop Absalon founded a monastery at the site, which was confiscated by the Crown after the Reformation, and ever since, on and off, it has served...
. There he founded a botanical garden before leaving the academy with a pension in 1765. At that point he also abandoned his medical career for good, instead turning to various administrative pursuits and his interest in botany.
Successful career in the King's service
In 1767, Holm was appointed director general of the Danish Postal ServicesPost Danmark
Post Danmark A/S is the company responsible for the Danish postal service. Established in 1995 following political liberalization efforts, it has taken over the mail delivery duties of the governmental department Postvæsenet ; it was turned into a public limited company in 2002...
in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, a position which he held until his death in 1793. From 1772, he also served as cabinet secretary for Dowager Queen Juliana Maria
Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
Duchess Juliane Marie of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel , , was queen of Denmark between 1752 and 1766, second consort of king Frederick V of Denmark and Norway, mother of the prince-regent Hereditary Prince Frederick of Denmark and Norway and herself de facto regent 1772–1784.- Early life and queen :Born...
, stepmother of King Christian VII
Christian VII of Denmark
Christian VII was King of Denmark and Norway and Duke of Schleswig and Holstein from 1766 until his death. He was the son of Danish King Frederick V and his first consort Louisa, daughter of King George II of Great Britain....
. She held him in high esteem.
Due to his good relations with the royal family, particularly the Queen, he was, in the early 1770s, contacted by Frantz Heinrich Müller, a pharmacist and mineralogist who was setting up a porcelain factory. This led to the foundation of the Royal Danish Porcelain Factory
Royal Copenhagen
Royal Copenhagen, officially the Royal Porcelain Factory is a manufacturer of porcelain products and was founded in Copenhagen 1 May 1775 under the protection of Queen Juliane Marie...
in 1775, with the King as a co-owner, Juliana Maria as a protector and Holmskiold as its first director-in-chief. In 1779, he took full control of the company and remained head of the factory for the rest of his life.
In 1778, he was appointed as one of two directors for a new botanical garden at Charlottenborg. It was created as a joint venture between the University and the King, each of whom was to appoint a director. The first university appointment was Christen Friis Rottbøll
Christen Friis Rottbøll
Christen Friis Rottbøll was a Danish physician and botanist and pupil of Carolus Linnaeus....
, Holmskiold's old teacher and travel companion from his student years, while the King chose Holmskiold.
Holmskiold advanced rapidly through the ranks and was ennobled under the name of Holmskiold in 1781. On the same occasion, he was made a Knight of the Order of the Danneborg
Order of the Dannebrog
The Order of the Dannebrog is an Order of Denmark, instituted in 1671 by Christian V. It resulted from a move in 1660 to break the absolutism of the nobility. The Order was only to comprise 50 noble Knights in one class plus the Master of the Order, i.e. the Danish monarch, and his sons...
and in 1884 was given the title of Gehejmeråd
Geheimrat
Geheimrat was the title of the highest advising officials at the Imperial, royal or principal courts of the Holy Roman Empire, who jointly formed the Geheimer Rat reporting to the ruler...
.
Beata ruris otia fungis Danicis Impensa
As a botanist, Holmskiold is remembered for Beata ruris otia fungis Danicis Impensa ("Happy Resting Periods in the Country Studying Danish Fungi"), a celebrated two-volume work on fungiFungus
A fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds , as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which is separate from plants, animals, and bacteria...
. The first volume was not published until 1790, and the second posthumously in 1796, but the work relies on the studies he conducted during the two short years he spent in Aarhus after leaving Sorø Academy and prior to his employment with the Danish Postal Services. In Aarhus, Holmskiold had observed and documented the fungi he found and he also commissioned artist Johan Neander to make detailed full-scale drawings of the specimens he collected and described.
Holmskjold's initial engagement with the postal services was most likely a fairly easy task which left him with sufficient time to work on his study of fungi. A first draft, at least of the first volume, was completed as early as 1770. It focussed on Agaricaceae
Agaricaceae
The Agaricaceae are a family of basidiomycete fungi and includes the genus Agaricus, as well as basidiomycetes previously classified in the families Tulostomataceae, Lepiotaceae, and Lycoperdaceae. The genus contains 85 genera and 1340 species.-Genera:...
, Clavariaceae
Clavariaceae
The Clavariaceae are a family of fungi in the Agaricales order of mushrooms. The family contains 7 genera and 120 species. Collectively, they are commonly known as coral fungi due to their resemblance to aquatic coral, although other vernacular names including antler fungi, finger fungi, worm mold,...
and Discomycetes
Discomycetes
Discomycetes is a former taxonomic class of Ascomycete fungi which contains all of the cup, sponge, brain, and some club-like fungi. It includes typical cup fungi like the scarlet elf cup and the orange peel fungus, and fungi with fruiting bodies of more unusual shape, such as morels, truffles and...
, but Holmskiold was dissatisfied with the book and chose not to publish it at this stage, probably because he got distracted by other pursuits.
Among its 74 described specimens, Beata contains 57 newly-named fungi, five new combinations and 52 totally new taxa.
The work received particular appreciation for its renderings, prompting the Swedish botanist Anders Jahan Retzius
Anders Jahan Retzius
Anders Jahan Retzius was a Swedish chemist, botanist and entomologist.-Biography:Born in Kristianstad, he matriculated at Lund University in 1758, where he graduated as a filosofie magister in 1766. He also trained as an apothecary apprentice. He reveived the position of docent of chemistry at...
(1742–1821) to call it "the most brilliant work which had appeared up to that time". He went on to name a genus of flowering shrubs Holmskioldia
Holmskioldia
Holmskioldia is a genus of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae.-Name:The genus name is derived from Johan Theodor Holmskiold , a Danish and botanist...
in Holmskjold's honour. The Harvard University Herbaria describes the illustrations as "stunningly rendered, impeccably accurate, and beautiful illustrations.
Other pursuits
In 1776, Holdskjold became a member of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and LettersRoyal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters
Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters is a Danish non-governmental science Academy, founded 13 November 1742 by permission of the King Christian VI, as a historical Collegium Antiquitatum...
and published several articles in its various journals, including one on catfish
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
which relied on his observations in Lake Sorø during his years at Sorø Academy.
Private life
In 1768, shortly after his appointment as general director of the Postal Services, Holmskiold built a country house on the shore of Lake Bagsværd in Frederiksdal north of Copenhagen. He named it SophienholmSophienholm
Sophienholm is a former country house and exhibition venue located north on the shore of Lake Bagsværd in Lyngby-Taarbæk Municipality in the northern outskirts of Copenhagen, Denmark....
after his fiancée Sophia Magdalena de Schrødersee (1746–1801). They married on 21 December 1770. Holmskjold also acquired five farms in the area.
In 1882, the year after his ennoblement, he commissioned the architect J.B. Guione to build him a new and larger country house on a tract of land at the southern tip of Lake Bagsværd. The building, which became known as Aldershvile, was not completed until 1790. It was a white building with a hipped roof clad in blue-glazed tiles and was surrounded by a 12-hectare English-style landscaped garden with a canal system.
Johan Theodor Holmskiold died on 15 September 1793, not long after the completion of his new home. P.F. Suhm
Peter Frederik Suhm
Peter Frederik Suhm , was a Danish-Norwegian historian and Councillor of State.Suhm studied at the University of Copenhagen in 1746-1751, and one of his teacher was Ludvig Holberg...
wrote an epitaph in Latin about him. It turned out that he was heavily indebted and that he was guilty of embezzlement against both the Queen, the Postal Services and the Royal Porcelain Factory. The Aldershvile estate was subsequently sold to Adolph Ribbing, a Swedish count who had been exiled for his involvement in the murder of King Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....
.