Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin
chemist, physician and botanist from the Netherlands (1727-1817)
Nikolaus Joseph Freiherr von Jacquin (16 February 1727 – 26 October 1817) was a natural philosopher who studied medicine, chemistry and botany. He travelled to the West Indies as part of an Austrian expedition and collected a large number of botanical specimens and described many species. He served as the first professor of chemistry in the mining academy at Schemnitz in Austria and later worked at the University of Vienna. He was the father of the botanist Joseph Franz von Jacquin.
Biography
Jacquin was born in Leiden in the Netherlands, the son of cloth manufacturer Claudius Nikolaus (1694–1743) and Elisabeth Maria née Heyningen. He studied medicine at Leiden University, then moved first to Paris but did not complete his studies. He took an early interest in botany from interactions with Theodor Gronovius. In Paris he attended the lectures of Antoine Jussieu. His father's business declined and following Jacquin's father's death in 1743 he received help from Gerard van Swieten who had been their family physician. Their son Gottfried van Swieten (1733-1803) was also born in Leiden.
The public source identifies “Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin” as chemist, physician and botanist from the Netherlands (1727-1817). This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Nikolaus, Joseph and Jacquin.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin”, the useful work is to connect “chemist, physician and botanist from the Netherlands (1727-1817)” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 23, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q84497. VIAF identifies the subject as 59120694. The Library of Congress control number is n85381568. 3 of 3 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1727, 1817, 1694 and 1743.
The absence of detail may reflect summary conventions rather than a lack of surviving documentation. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin primary sources, Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin archive and Nikolaus research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin”?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.