Carlo Vigano' Biography
The creation of the "Carlo Viganò" Library is entirely due to the cultural sensitivity, competence and tenacity of a single person: the engineer Carlo Viganò. Born in Seregno (Milan) on 22 August 1904, he then completed his secondary studies at the "C. Arici" College in Brescia, finishing his education with a degree in Industrial Engineering at the Polytechnic of Milan. He then became an entrepreneur in the textile and brick sectors and also held the presidency of the Banca S. Paolo di Brescia. For his willingness to promote what was important for both economic and social action, he was awarded the honor of Grand Officer of Merit of the Republic. But he was also a scholar who was as modest and silent as he was industrious and tireless, having been a Full Member of the University of Brescia, within which he wanted to promote, among other things, study initiatives as well as the critical edition of the works of the Brescian mathematician Niccolò Tartaglia. Comforted by the advice and encouragement of Father Agostino Gemelli, founder of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, he began to collect rare works, manuscripts, magazines and studies relating to the history of mathematical and physical sciences. Thus, that conspicuous Library of the History of Sciences was gradually formed, which he then generously wanted to donate - whilst still alive - to the Brescia branch of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, located in that ancient building where the College is also located." Arici", frequented by Viganò during the years of his youth. The engineer Carlo Viganò died in Brescia on 24 January 1974, the day on which the Magnificent Rector of the Catholic University communicated to him the awarding of an honorary degree granted to him by the Academic Senate. A much broader biographical information on the engineer. C. Viganò can be read in the following booklet, which can be requested free of charge from the Library itself: The Library of the history of physical-mathematical sciences “C. Viganò”. The “A. Viganò”, edited by Pierluigi Pizzamiglio, Brescia, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart – Library of History of Sciences “C. Viganò”, 2004, pp. 5-15. The location of the C. Viganò Library in the Brescia branch of the Università Cattolica del Sactro Cuore was also sponsored by other personalities, as can be seen in the short essay by Pierluigi Pizzamiglo, The commitment to the Library “Carlo Viganò, in Ingegner Adolfo Lombardi. Memories and Testimonies, Brescia, Editrice La Scuola, 2007, pp. 71-73.
