Eise Eisinga (1744 - 1828)

Field(s) of interest: scientific instruments| astronomy
Gender: male

Born: Dronrijp, 21-02-1744
Died: Franeker, 27-08-1828

Biography:
Instrument maker from Friesland. He was the son of a wool carder and followed in his father's footsteps from a young age. Although he was exceptionally gifted, he wasn't allowed to go to school. When he was 17 years old he published a book about the principles of astronomy. His brother Stephanus was also interested in astronomy. Through self-education he mastered mathematics and astronomy, which he also studied at the Franeker Academy. He studied the working of sundials, and published a book with drawings of about 150 sundials. As a patriot he got into a conflict with Orangist and eventually had to flee Friesland. He moved to Visvliet, Groningen, and in 1795, he returned to Franeker. He became a professor at the Franeker Academy, until the academy was closed by Napoleon in 1811. He built famous planetarium and sundials.

Collection: Eisinga Planetarium, Franeker

Occupations:
wool carder: 1768 (Franeker)

instrument maker: 1774 - 1780

professor: 1795 - 1811

Sources:
Eisinga, E., Gnomonica of sonnewysers, alle door passer en lynjaal afgepast, op de Noorderbreete van Dronryp, 53°-13' (Manuscript, Dronrijp 1762).

A. Warmenhoven, Tijdloos zonnestelsel: 225 jaar Eise Eisinga Planetarium (Franeker 2006).

E. Havinga, Planetarium-boek Eise Eisinga (Arnhem 1928).

Rooseboom, M., Bijdrage tot de geschiedenis der instrumentmakerskunst in de noordelijke Nederlanden (Leiden 1950).

Morpurgu, E., Nederlandse klokken- en horlogemakers vanaf 1300 (Amsterdam 1970), 39.

Zuidervaart, H.J., Van 'Konstgenoten' en hemelse fenomenen. Nederlandse sterrenkunde in de achttiende eeuw (Rotterdam 1999).

Meerman, J., 'Merkwaardige Berigten wegens drie uitmuntende vervaardigers van optisch en andere physische instrumenten', in: Algemeene Konst- en Letterbode (Haarlem 1810), II, 4-9, 19-25.

Zuidervaart, H.J., Speculatie, wetenschap en vernuft : fysica & astronomie volgens Wytze Foppes Dongjuma (1707-1778), instrumentmaker te Leeuwarden (Leeuwarden 1995).