Amanz Gressly (1814–1865) [1]

Gressly was born in Bärschwil. In 1834, he began studying medicine in Strasbourg, but then switched to geology. From 1836 he was an associate of Louis Agassiz. In 1838 he published the “Observations géologiques sur le Jura soleurois”. Due to psychological complaints he was unable to work from 1845 to 1849. During this time he created his first relief model. From 1853 to 1862 he was a geological expert in the construction of railroad tunnels through the Jura Mountains. In this connection he made several relief models of this area. He died in 1865 in the Waldau Clinic near Bern.

Terrain models made by Gressly (details on Swiss Relief Catalogue)

Bärschwil, 1845–1865
Jura (Birstal), 1860
Canton Basel, 1860

[1] This article bases on Mair, Toni. Grieder, Susanne. Das Landschaftsrelief – Symbiose von Wissenschaft und Kunsthandwerk. Mit Schweizer Reliefkatalog. Verlag hier+jetzt. Baden, Schweiz. 2006. S.158.