Ulisse Aldrovandi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ulisse Aldrovandi
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Painting of Ulisse Aldrovandi by Agostino Carracci.
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| Born | 11 September 1522 |
| Died | 4 May 1605 (aged 82) Bologna, Papal States
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| Education | University of Bologna University of Padua |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Natural history |
| Institutions | University of Bologna |
| Notable students | Volcher Coiter |
Ulisse Aldrovandi (born September 11, 1522 – died May 4, 1605) was a famous Italian naturalist. He was the main person who helped create Bologna's botanical garden. This was one of the first gardens of its kind in Europe.
Important scientists like Carl Linnaeus and the comte de Buffon called him the "father of natural history studies." You might also see his name written as Aldrovandus in older science books.
Contents
Ulisse Aldrovandi's Life Story
Ulisse Aldrovandi was born in Bologna. His family was noble but not rich. His father was a lawyer who passed away when Ulisse was only seven years old. His mother wanted him to become a lawyer too.
When he was 14, he briefly worked as a scribe for merchants. But he soon started studying mathematics, Latin, law, and philosophy. He studied at the University of Bologna and then at the University of Padua. By 1545, he became a notary, which is like a public official who makes sure documents are legal. He also became very interested in philosophy and logic, which he studied along with medicine.
In 1549, Ulisse faced some challenges and was held for a short time. But he used this time to learn even more about nature. He became very interested in botany (the study of plants), zoology (the study of animals), and geology (the study of Earth's rocks and soil). He is even credited with being the first to write down the word "geology"!
From 1551 onwards, he went on many trips. He explored Italian mountains, the countryside, islands, and coasts. His goal was to collect and list different plants.
He earned a degree in medicine and philosophy in 1553. The next year, in 1554, he started teaching at the University of Bologna. In 1561, he became the first professor of natural sciences there. This meant he taught about fossils, plants, and animals.
Aldrovandi was friends with Francesco de' Medici, who was a powerful ruler. He visited Francesco's garden and traveled with him. He also worked with botanical artists to create amazing illustrated books. Ulisse Aldrovandi passed away in Bologna in 1605 when he was 82 years old.
His wife, Francesca Fontana, was a huge help in his research. She used her own money to build their large country home, which held his huge collection of natural items. She also helped him find books, edited his writings, and even wrote parts of his books herself.
Ulisse Aldrovandi's Important Work
Throughout his life, Ulisse Aldrovandi collected an amazing "cabinet of curiosities." This was like a special room filled with about 7,000 different natural items. He even wrote a description of this collection in 1595.
Between 1551 and 1554, he went on several trips to collect plants. He created a herbarium, which is a collection of dried plants. His herbarium had about 4,760 dried plant samples. These are still kept at the University of Bologna today. He also hired artists to draw pictures of the specimens he found.
Bologna's Botanic Garden
Ulisse Aldrovandi asked for and helped create a public botanic garden in Bologna. This garden opened in 1568 and is now called the Orto Botanico dell'Università di Bologna.
For a few years, he was stopped from teaching because of a disagreement with pharmacists and doctors. But in 1577, he asked Pope Gregory XIII for help. The Pope then asked the Bologna authorities to let Aldrovandi teach again and to give him money to publish his books.
His Amazing Collections
Ulisse Aldrovandi gave his huge collections of plants and animals to the city of Bologna. For many years, these collections were kept in public buildings. Later, they were moved to different libraries and places. In 1907, a large part of his collections was brought back together in Bologna. In 2005, there was a special exhibition to celebrate 400 years since his death.
Studying Skin Tumors
Ulisse Aldrovandi was one of the first people to write a lot about a skin condition called neurofibromatosis. This condition causes small growths on the skin. However, it has been found that an artist named Andrea Mantegna actually drew this condition 80 years before Aldrovandi wrote about it.
Books and Writings
Ulisse Aldrovandi wrote hundreds of books and essays. Only a few of them were published during his lifetime. He wrote about many different topics, including birds, insects, fish, and even mythical creatures like dragons. His writings helped people learn a lot about the natural world.
Honors
Ulisse Aldrovandi has been honored in several ways:
- A wrinkle ridge on the Moon is named Dorsa Aldrovandi after him.
- The Civico Orto Botanico "Ulisse Aldrovandi" (a botanic garden) in San Giovanni in Persiceto is named in his honor.
- A plant group called Aldrovanda is also named after him.
Gallery
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Cucurbita maxima Duchesne (c1660)
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Basilisk from Serpentum, et draconum historiae libri duo (1640)
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Harpy from Monstrorum Historia (1642)
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Two headed lizard from Historia serpentum et draconum (1640)
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Specimens of Nature
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Owl
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Blue-Headed Quail-Dove
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Paduan Hen
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Paduan Rooster
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Turcicus Rooster
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Blackbuck
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Red Hartebeest and Blackbuck
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Red Hartebeest and Mountain Coati
