Background
He was born and lived in Nuremberg and was the only son of engraver Johann Georg Sturm (1742-1793), who trained him in drawing and copperplate engraving.
He was born and lived in Nuremberg and was the only son of engraver Johann Georg Sturm (1742-1793), who trained him in drawing and copperplate engraving.
He thus deliberately chose this minute format in order to make a knowledge of the German flora available by pictures to as many as possible and as cheaply as possible.
Sturm became a celebrated insect collector and founded the Nuremberg Society for Natural History. His entomological and botanical plates are very accurately drawn and show minute details and enjoyed a great popularity among naturalists. "The book Deutschlands Flora, 1798–1862.
163 parts (in 136 volumes) contains.. neat and attractive little engravings, no more than 5 in. by 3½ inches in size.
Despite their smallness, they carry a surprising amount of detail. Jacob Sturm learnt his art from his father, Johann Georg Sturm, who was also a Nuremberg engraver" (Blunt & Stearn pp 258–260).
German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.