Hans Christian Ørsted

Ritter, met in Germany when Ørsted was a young graduate, became a warm friend, and a strong influence on his fundamental research into electromagnetism. Fichte and Schlegel were met in Berlin and Schelling as well as Ritter in Jena (Ørsted was strongly drawn to German romanticist ideas before distancing himself somewhat). Also a keen poet, his close lifelong friend Andersen relied upon his literary advice. Forging connections across Europe, he met Faraday in Britain, Biot and Cuvier in France, corresponded about electroacoustics with Pictet, knew Berzelius, and told Wöhler about his successful isolation of aluminium.