Johannes Schumacher
Encyclopedia
Johannes Schumacher aka Johannes Schoemaker (born in Rodenbourg
or Rodenberg
, place and date of death are unknown) was a soldier at the Cape of Good Hope
and official artist on a number of expeditions. He was recorded as soldier in the 1770 Cape muster rolls and as an armoury assistant from 1782-89.
In 1776 he accompanied Hendrik Swellengrebel jr., the son of Cape governor Hendrik Swellengrebel (1700-1760), on an expedition to the Eastern Cape
. Some of the drawings he produced on that journey were published in 1951 in A. Hallema's book The Cape in 1776-1777. He also went along on Robert Jacob Gordon
's expeditions of 1777-78 to the area around Bethulie
and again in 1779 on a trip up the Orange River
beyond the Augrabies Falls. He illustrated the Gordon Atlas with zoological curiosities observed or collected by Gordon during his travels. In 1776 Schumacher first recorded the existence of rock art
in the Northern Cape
, a full century before Palaeolithic art was discovered in Europe.
Some of the images historically attributed to Francis Masson
, William Paterson
and François Levaillant may have been his work.
The village of Skoenmakerskop near Port Elizabeth and the hill after which it was named, are believed to commemorate Schumacher.
Rodenbourg
Rodenbourg is a village in the commune of Junglinster, in central Luxembourg. , the village has a population of 102.Rodenbourg was a commune in the canton of Grevenmacher until 1 January 1979, when it was merged into the commune of Junglinster. The law merging Rodenbourg into Junglinster was...
or Rodenberg
Rodenberg
Rodenberg is a town in the district of Schaumburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the northwestern edge of the Deister hills, approx. 10 km east of Stadthagen, and 27 km west of Hanover....
, place and date of death are unknown) was a soldier at the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
and official artist on a number of expeditions. He was recorded as soldier in the 1770 Cape muster rolls and as an armoury assistant from 1782-89.
In 1776 he accompanied Hendrik Swellengrebel jr., the son of Cape governor Hendrik Swellengrebel (1700-1760), on an expedition to the Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...
. Some of the drawings he produced on that journey were published in 1951 in A. Hallema's book The Cape in 1776-1777. He also went along on Robert Jacob Gordon
Robert Jacob Gordon
Robert Jacob Gordon , was a Dutch explorer, soldier, artist, naturalist and linguist of Scottish descent.-Life:...
's expeditions of 1777-78 to the area around Bethulie
Bethulie
Bethulie is a small sheep and cattle farming town in the Free State province of South Africa. The name meaning chosen by God was given by directors of a mission station in 1829 which the town formed around. The mission building is the oldest settler built building still standing in the Free State...
and again in 1779 on a trip up the Orange River
Orange River
The Orange River , Gariep River, Groote River or Senqu River is the longest river in South Africa. It rises in the Drakensberg mountains in Lesotho, flowing westwards through South Africa to the Atlantic Ocean...
beyond the Augrabies Falls. He illustrated the Gordon Atlas with zoological curiosities observed or collected by Gordon during his travels. In 1776 Schumacher first recorded the existence of rock art
Rock art
Rock art is a term used in archaeology for any human-made markings made on natural stone. They can be divided into:*Petroglyphs - carvings into stone surfaces*Pictographs - rock and cave paintings...
in the Northern Cape
Northern Cape
The Northern Cape is the largest and most sparsely populated province of South Africa. It was created in 1994 when the Cape Province was split up. Its capital is Kimberley. It includes the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, part of an international park shared with Botswana...
, a full century before Palaeolithic art was discovered in Europe.
Some of the images historically attributed to Francis Masson
Francis Masson
Francis Masson was a Scottish botanist and gardener, and Kew Gardens’ first plant hunter.Masson was born in Aberdeen. In the 1760s he went to work at Kew Gardens as an under-gardener. Masson was the first plant collector to be sent from Kew by the newly-appointed director Sir Joseph Banks...
, William Paterson
William Paterson (explorer)
Colonel William Paterson, FRS was a Scottish soldier, explorer, Lieutenant governor and botanist best known for leading early settlement in Tasmania. This botanist is denoted by the author abbreviation Paterson when citing a botanical name.-Early years:A native of Montrose, Scotland, Paterson was...
and François Levaillant may have been his work.
The village of Skoenmakerskop near Port Elizabeth and the hill after which it was named, are believed to commemorate Schumacher.