Rasmus Bartholin
Rasmus Bartholin (Latinized: Erasmus Bartholinus; 13 August 1625 – 4 November 1698) was a Danish physician and grammarian.
Rasmus Bartholin

Unidentified painter · Own photographic reproduction of an expired work of art. · Public domain
- Name
- Rasmus Bartholin
- Born
- 13 August 1625
- Birthplace
- Roskilde
- Died
- 4 November 1698 (aged 73)
- Place of death
- Copenhagen
- Field
- Physics
- Known for
- Double refraction of a light ray
- Nationality
- Denmark–Norway
- Occupation
- mathematician · university teacher · judge · physician · chemist · physicist · anatomist · astronomer
- Fields
- physics · astronomy · medicine · mathematics
- Education
- University of Copenhagen · University of Padua
- Languages
- Latin · Danish · German
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Documentary summary
Rasmus Bartholin (Latinized: Erasmus Bartholinus; 13 August 1625 – 4 November 1698) was a Danish physician and grammarian.
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Authority files
wikidata · Q504352 · wikipedia · Rasmus Bartholin
In this article
Biography
Biography
Rasmus Bartholin studied at University of Copenhagen and University of Padua. The recorded working language is Latin, Danish and German. The field of work recorded is physics, astronomy and medicine. Residence is recorded at Denmark. Employment is recorded with University of Copenhagen. Positions recorded include rector.

Erasmus Bartholin. Line engraving, 1688. Iconographic Collections
https: Gallery: https: Wellcome Collection gallery (2018-03-29)
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Rasmus Bartholin • Born — 13 August 1625 • Birthplace — Roskilde • Died — 4 November 1698 (aged 73) • Place of death — Copenhagen • Field — Physics • Known for — Double refraction of a light ray
Biography
Biography
Bartholin was born in Roskilde. He was the son of Caspar Bartholin the Elder (1585–1629) and Anna Fincke, daughter of the mathematician Thomas Fincke. As part of his studies, he travelled in Europe for ten years. He stayed in the Netherlands, England, France and Italy. In 1647, he took a Master's degree at the University of Copenhagen. In 1654, he received a Doctoral degree at the University of Padua. He was a professor at the University of Copenhagen, first in Geometry, later in Medicine. He was also dean of the faculty of medicine, librarian, and rector. He wrote, in Latin, the first grammar of the Danish language, the 1657 De studio lingvæ danicæ. Rasmus Bartholin is remembered especially for his discovery (1669) of the double refraction of a light ray by Iceland spar (calcite). He published an accurate description of the phenomenon, but since the physical nature of light was poorly understood at the time, he was unable to explain it. It was only after Thomas Young proposed the wave theory of light, c. 1801 that an explanation became possible.
Personal
Personal
He was a younger brother of Thomas Bartholin (1616–1680).
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
His recorded languages were Latin, Danish and German. He was the child of Caspar Bartholin the Elder and Anna Cathrine Thomasdatter Bartholin. One child is recorded: Anne Marie Bartholin. Other recorded relations include Thomas Fincke and Ole Rømer.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1625
Rasmus Bartholin born at Roskilde.
1698
Rasmus Bartholin died at Copenhagen.
Places
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Places
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- Denmark
Named but not plotted · 2
Roskilde.
Birth place
Copenhagen.
Death place
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q504352: Rasmus Bartholin
Reputable secondary · Wikidata
- “Rasmus Bartholin”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
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Further particulars
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Further particulars
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Rasmus Bartholin worked in physics, astronomy, medicine and mathematics. He was employed by University of Copenhagen. Recorded position is rector. He worked at Denmark. Recorded as mathematician, university teacher, judge, physician and chemist.
Career and activity
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