Name: Luigi

Surname: Bombicci



Luigi Bombicci (Siena, 11 July 1833 – Bologna, 17 May 1903) was an Italian mineralogist and museologist. Son of Tito and Countess Bulgarini, at the age of 15, in 1848, he enrolled at the University of Pisa, where he obtained a bachelor's degree in Mathematics on 26 June 1850. Three years later he graduated in Natural Sciences with full marks. His academic curriculum was completed in 1857, when he graduated in teaching at the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa, again obtaining full marks and honours. His main teacher was Giuseppe Meneghini, professor of Mineralogy and Geology, the chair at which Bombicci was appointed assistant on 16 October 1858, being confirmed the following year. But his teaching activity did not stop at the academic sphere, being also appointed professor of Natural History at the Liceo of Pisa, in November 1860. His stay in Pisa was interrupted very soon, since on 5 December 1861 he was called to the newly created chair of Mineralogy at the University of Bologna, a position he was officially invested with on the following 30 January. The role of director and curator of the Mineralogy Museum attached to the Institute in which he would teach was also associated with teaching. At around 27 years old, in 1862, Luigi Bombicci found himself as a full professor and director of the Museum of Mineralogy, an activity which he carried out for the following 41 years. To these roles were added the teaching of applied geology at the School of Application of Engineers of Bologna (starting from 11 October 1877 for 23 consecutive years), short periods of presidency of the faculty (in 1874 and 1896) and the direction of the University School of Teaching (from 1880 to 1886). He felt very attached to Bologna, considering the city "as his second homeland", making himself available to the community, covering more or less important public roles for many years. In particular, he was President of the Provincial Council for building materials in the Bologna area from 1872 to 1878, member of the Commission for libraries and museums of the Municipality of Bologna, provincial and municipal councilor, provincial school councilor. Furthermore, one should not forget his affiliation with the local section of the Italian Alpine Club, of which he was also president for a short period. On behalf of the Teachers' Society of Bologna he created an original Circulating Educational Museum with special guides for teachers inspired by the method of pedagogical and didactic positivism, he also promoted the institution of the secular recreation center and published numerous writings on scholastic issues. In general, his non-scientific interests were mainly directed towards schools, as a privileged place for the education of children, and towards the mountains, a passion which was certainly very useful also for his profession and which culminated in the coordination of a monumental work, entitled The Bolognese Apennines . Description of itineraries, consisting of 887 pages and containing numerous illustrations and tables, drawn up by Bombicci himself. On 15 March 1889 he was affiliated with the rank of Master in the Otto Agosto lodge of Bologna, belonging to the Grand Orient of Italy


Autograph type: autograph letter