Franz Keil (1822–1876) [1]

Keil was born in Grasslitz (Bohemia). He studied pharmacy and settled as a pharmacist in Lienz (Austria) in 1850. But botany, meteorology and geology interested him more and more. The poor map material available to him during his mountain ascents prompted him to start building relief models. His models were considered the first scientifically based relief models of eastern alpine mountain areas and were admired. In 1860, he gave up his pharmacy and devoted himself entirely to the construction of relief models in Salzburg and Vienna with the support of the government. A serious fall in the mountains in 1864 made further work impossible. In 1870 he moved to Maribor, where he spent the last years of his life confined to bed.

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

Grossglockner/Dachstein
Königsee/Salzachgebiet

[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.161.