Sebastian Brant

Sebastian Brant (1457–1521) was a German humanist, jurist, and author. He studied classical languages and law at the University of Basel, where he later taught and became a professor of law. In 1500 he returned to Strasbourg, working as a legal adviser and, from 1503, as the city’s secretary. He is best known for his moral satire *The Ship of Fools*, published in 1494 and regarded as a major work of German humanism.