August Johann Rösel von Rosenhof  (1705- 1759)

A German miniature painter, naturalist and entomologist. With his accurate, heavily detailed images of insects he was recognised as an important figure in modern entomology.

He spent many years studying local natural history. In 1740 - based on the specimens of his own remarkable collection - Rösel began to publish the “Der Monatlich...”, a sumptuous work - that was financed by him - that can be considered one of the most important German artwork on insects of 18th century. It was so a meticulous work that many descriptions of species of insects made by Carl Linnaeus are based on the images drawn by Rösel.