Johann Joseph von Prechtl - Vienna, Austria
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Metro2
N 48° 11.939 E 016° 22.214
33U E 601818 N 5339324
This sculpture is located in front of the Vienna University of Technology.
Waymark Code: WMKRHD
Location: Wien, Austria
Date Posted: 05/22/2014
Views: 8
This bronze bust of Johann Joseph von Prechtl depicts him as a middle-aged man with a stern appearance and short hair. The pedestal..about 6 foot tall has his name, the dates of his birth and death "1778-1854" and indicates that he was the Director of the Polytechnic Institute 1815-1849. The date and artist are not indicated at the site.
Wikipedia (visit link) informs us:
"Johann Joseph von Prechtl (16 November 1778, Bischofsheim, Grand-Dukal Würzburg/(today's) Lower Franconia – 28 October 1854, Wieden No. 54 (today's Paniglgasse, 4th district of Vienna)) was a German-born Austrian (since 1802) technologist and educator. He is regarded as a pioneer of technical education in Austria.
From 1796 he studied philosophy, theology and legal science in Würzburg, later working as a private instructor outside of Brünn, and afterwards as a teacher of natural sciences, chemistry and physics at a secondary school in Vienna (1810–14). In 1815 he became founder and first director of the Vienna Polytechnic Institute.
With Johann Arzberger (1778–1835), he conducted research of public gas illumination, being credited with introducing a coal gas generating plant at the institute. Reportedly, in 1818, there were 25 operational public gas lanterns in Vienna. In 1823 he developed a portable baroscope.
Written works
With Karl Karmarsch (1803–79), he was editor of a multi-volume encyclopedia of technology, Technologische Encyklopädie oder alphabetisches Handbuch der Technologie, der technischen Chemie und des Maschinenwesens (Technological encyclopedia or an alphabetic textbook of technology, chemical engineering and mechanical engineering). Begun in 1830, the encyclopedia consisted of twenty volumes, with five supplementary volumes being issued by Karmarsch after Prechtl's death (from 1857 to 1869). Other noteworthy written efforts by Prechtl include:
Ueber die Fehler in der Erziehung, vorzüglich in Hinsicht auf die gesellschaftlichen Uebel, 1804 - On errors in education in terms of social ills.
Anleitung zur zweckmäßigsten Einrichtung der Apparate zur Beleuchtung mit Steinkohlen-Gas 1817 - Guide to the most appropriate device for lighting appliances with coal gas.
Praktische Dioptrik als vollständige und gemeinfassliche Anleitung zur Verfertigung achromatischer Fernröhre : nach den neuesten Verbesserungen und Hülfsmitteln und eigenen Erfahrungen. 1828 - Practical dioptrics as complete and comprehensible instructions for construction of achromatic telescopes."
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