Johannes Snippendaal

Youth and education

Johannes Snippendaal, born in 1616, was the only child of Peter Sneppendaal and Maritje Jaspers van op den Bos. His exact date of birth is unknown. We do know that his parents gave official notice of their intended marriage on 21 April 1615. Instead of Sneppendaal, Johannes consistently used the name Snippendaal. His parents had a poor marriage and eventually separated. Peter Sneppendaal died shortly before 1650. Johannes Snippendaal probably went to the Latin school (preparatory school) in Amsterdam for a few years and possibly also to the ‘Amsterdamse Athenaeum Illustre’ (forerunner of the University of Amsterdam) before he enrolled at the University of Leiden on 30 May 1636. Surprisingly, he studied philosophy and literature, not biology. His love for botany may have evolved during his study.

Prefect at the Hortus

Johannes Snippendaal was appointed the first prefect of the Hortus in 1646. For ten years, he managed the Hortus and gave lessons in botany. After Snippendaal's death, the Oprechte Haarlemmer (a newspaper) printed an announcement stating that his library was being put up for auction and calling him 'Professor Botanices'. Snippendaal was, however, never appointed professor. This name presumably refers to the botany lessons he taught in the Hortus and possibly also to the lectures he gave after leaving the Hortus. Snippendaal was a fervent plant collector. In his first year as prefect, Snippendaal increased the original collection of 330 species to 796 species. These new species were mostly ornamentals that he obtained by means of exchange with gardeners in and around Amsterdam. Snippendaal’s work for the Hortus Medicus was extremely valued by the Amsterdam medical profession. His catalogue includes a poem by François de Vicq, one of the inspectors of the Collegium Medicum, that praises Snippendaal. The Amsterdam wholesaler Jan Six van Chandelier wrote an ode called ‘Steetuinkroon aan Joannes Snippendaal’. This poem was published in Six’ bundle of poems 'Poesy' in 1657. In 1656, Johannes Snippendaal's appointment as prefect was terminated for unknown reasons.

Library

After his death, Snippendaal's private library was put up for auction on 25 February 1671. There is no known catalogue of the auction in existence and only two of his books have been recovered: Prodoromos Theatri Botanici (1620) and Pinax Theatri Botanici (1623), both by Caspar Bauhin. Both of these books are now in the library of the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis (MO, USA). The title pages of both books contain the inscription ‘Sum Joannis Snippendali(i)’ (“I am owned by Johannes Snippendaal”). The books also include numerous annotations, presumably by Snippendaal himself, and show that Snippendaal was well versed in the works of Bauhin.

Death and burial

Johannes Snippendaal remained single his entire life, probably because he was a hunchback. Snippendaal died in 1670 and was buried on 18 March 1670 in the New Church in Amsterdam. Until his death, he lived with his mother in a house on the Nieuwe Nieuwstraat. His mother long outlived him – she died in 1685 at the age of 92 years.

More information about the Snippendaal catalogue and its translation can be found HERE.

Back to the Snippendaal garden.