Jan Burmann (1891 - 1982)
The striking lack of resemblance between a father and his son
Jan Burmann, brilliant botanist and longtime director of the Amsterdam Hortus, played an important role in the life of Bob Tagge. Burmann's life work, the Thesaurus Zeylanicus, was a revelation to Bob. It is save to say that without the decisive influence of Johannes Burmann the taxonomy of Bob Tagge would have had quite a different outcome.
Burmann also had a sharp eye for the qualities of Bob and enabled him to start doing research within the premisses of the Hortus at a time when things were not going well with him. Bob almost considered Burmann as his father, and, as we may deduce from the note on the backside this picture, he in his own perception always remained in the shadow of this great botanist.
In the photo, taken by Sara Lisa a few months before the death of Burmann, the display on which Bob has worked for years and which still can be found in the palm house of the Hortus is visible in the background.