In the 1670s, Botanist and illustrator Paul Hermann filled five volumes with specimens of dried plants and beautiful sketches from Ceylon.
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Paul Hermann,
Plant specimens from Sri Lanka, 1672-77
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Though his
collection consisted mostly of plants found in and around Colombo, Hermann’s work would become famous as one of the first and most important collections of its kind in the world. In fact, it would be directly studied by the great plant
biologist Carl Linnaeus and led to the publication of Linnaeus’ Flora Zeylanica in 1747.
The son of the son of Johann Hermann, a well-known organist, and Maria Magdalena Röber, a clergyman’s daughter, Hermann graduated from one of the finest medical schools in Europe.
He would put his
learning to use when he arrived in Sri Lanka as a Medical Officer to the Dutch East India Company in the late 1670s. Returning to Europe, Hermann took up the Chair of Botany at the University of Leiden in 1679 where he spent the rest of his life.
Hermann is today also famous as a great gardener – taking charge of the botanical garden at Leiden, he singlehandedly
doubled the number of plants in the garden.
It was more than any of his predecessors had accomplished
in 150 years.
The work of Paul Herman is one among many at 'A Return to Sri Lanka': an exhibition of images of Sri Lanka from British Collections (1640 – 1900). This exhibition draws maps,
manuscripts, illustrations, early photographs and paintings of Sri Lanka from several distinguished British institutions — principally the British Library, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Natural History Museum – as well as the National Museum (Colombo).
The exhibition is co-curated by British and Sri Lankan
curators and produced in partnership between the British Library and the British Council (Sri Lanka), with funding
provided by the World Collection’s Programme.
Exhibition dates and venues:
- Galle Municipal Council November 11 – 24
Admission is free and information is available in
Sinhala, Tamil and English at all exhibition sites. |
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