author

Gustavus A. Eisen

1847–1940

A restless Swedish-American naturalist and scholar, he moved easily between zoology, horticulture, archaeology, and art history. His life took him from scientific work in Sweden to California vineyards and the California Academy of Sciences, where his wide-ranging curiosity left a lasting mark.

2 Audiobooks

The Raisin Industry

The Raisin Industry

by Gustavus A. Eisen

Fig Culture

Fig Culture

by F. S. (Franklin Sumner) Earle, Gustavus A. Eisen

About the author

Born in Stockholm on August 2, 1847, Gustavus A. Eisen studied at Uppsala University and began building a reputation in natural history while still young. In 1873 he traveled to the United States for zoological study, and soon after spent time in California, including work connected with viticulture near Fresno.

Eisen was remarkably wide-ranging in his interests. Reliable biographical sources describe him as active in biology, horticulture, archaeology, and art history, and note his long association with the California Academy of Sciences, where he served as a curator. He was also recognized by scientific societies in both the United States and Sweden, reflecting the breadth of his work.

He died in New York on October 29, 1940. Remembered as an original and many-sided researcher, he stands out as one of those rare figures whose career never stayed inside a single discipline.