Johann Heinrich Samuel Formey (1711–1797)

Johann Heinrich Samuel Formey (1711–1797) was a philosopher, historian and theologian whose writings strongly influenced the Enlightenment movement in Berlin. Born into a Huguenot family, he wrote and conversed almost exclusively in French and never properly learnt German. Formey became Secretary of the Academy of Berlin in 1748 and was appointed as a member of the Royal Society in London two years later.

Johann Heinrich Samuel Formey (1711–1797), 18th century, mezzotint, artist: J. J. Haid after David Matthieu; source: Wellcome Collection, London, https://wellcomecollection.org/works/xra3ru4z, public domain.