He obtained his medical doctorate in Altdorf bei Nürnberg, afterwards spending several years working in Venice.
Later in Paris he made the acquaintanceship of botanist Joseph Pitton de Tournefort (1656-1708).
In 1700-02 with Tournefort and painter Claude Aubriet (1665-1742), he journeyed to Asia Minor and Armenia on a research expedition.
His large collection of plants gathered from the expedition were sent to herbaria in Berlin and Munich.
He died on 17 June 1715, while accompanying King Friedrich Wilhelm I to Stettin.