Artist
Franz Kessler
German, 1580–1650
Franz Kessler was a German Dutch Golden Age painter. 1 work is cataloged here, principally at Rijksmuseum. Franz Kessler was born in Wetzlar.
Overview
Franz Kessler (c. 1580–1650) was a portrait painter, scholar, inventor and alchemist living in the Holy Roman Empire during the 16th and 17th centuries.
Writing
He wrote a number of books and pamphlets: a book on stoves, on making sundials, on using a "sector" or "proportional instrument" (a simple calculator), and on using "Napier's bones" (another calculator) – among other works.
Inventions
He wrote a book called Unterschiedliche bisshero mehrern Theils Secreta oder verborgene, geheime Kunste (Various until now mostly Secreta or hidden, secret arts), which was published in Oppenheim in 1616. The first five chapters of this book deal with communicating via a crude Aldis lamp. In the same year he built an improved diving bell.
Works by Franz Kessler
Collections represented
Museum
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