author
John William Draper
1811–1882
Remembered as one of the 19th century’s great all-round minds, he helped push both early photography and scientific education forward. His work ranged from chemistry and medicine to history, and he is often credited with making one of the first detailed photographs of the Moon.
3 Audiobooks
History of the Conflict Between Religion and Science
by John William Draper
History of the Intellectual Development of Europe, Volume II (of 2) Revised Edition
by John William Draper
History of the Intellectual Development of Europe, Volume I (of 2) Revised Edition
by John William Draper
About the author
Born in England in 1811 and later settling in the United States, John William Draper built an unusually wide-ranging career as a physician, chemist, teacher, historian, and photographer. He studied medicine after emigrating to America and went on to spend much of his professional life at New York University, where he taught chemistry and was deeply involved in the medical faculty.
Draper is especially notable for his work in the early history of photography. He is widely credited with pioneering portrait photography and with producing one of the first detailed photographs of the Moon in 1840. His scientific interests also extended to photochemistry and the effects of light, helping connect laboratory science with one of the century’s most exciting new technologies.
Later in life, he became known to many readers through his historical writing as well as his scientific work. That mix of disciplines gives his career a distinctive feel even now: he was the kind of thinker who moved easily between experiment, teaching, and big historical ideas.