Vannoccio Biringuccio, sometimes spelled Vannocio Biringuccio (about 1480–about 1539), was an Italian expert in working with metals. He is most famous for his book about metalworking, De la pirotechnia, which was published after his death in 1540.
Biography
Biringuccio was born in Siena as the son of Paolo Biringuccio, probably an architect, and Lucrezia di Bartolommeo Biringuccio. He was baptized on October 20, 1480.
He followed Pandolfo Petrucci, the leader of the powerful Petrucci family. Pandolfo hired him as a metallurgist. After Pandolfo died, Biringuccio stayed connected to the Petrucci family and worked for Pandolfo’s son, Borghese Petrucci. However, a rebellion in 1515 forced Borghese to leave Siena, and Biringuccio went with him. Biringuccio traveled across Italy and visited Sicily in 1517.
In 1523, Pope Clement VII allowed the Petrucci family to return to Siena, and Biringuccio was able to leave exile with them. In 1524, he was given the right to be the only person in Siena who could make saltpeter. This did not last long—by 1526, the people of Siena rebelled and removed the Petrucci family from power again. The family tried (with help from Biringuccio) to take back control of Siena by force, but this effort failed.
In 1530, Siena became more peaceful, and Biringuccio returned. He served as a senator of the city in January and February 1531 and participated in several projects.
In 1536, he was offered a job in Rome by the Church. In 1538, he became the head of the papal foundry and the director of weapons.
His exact place and date of death are unknown. A document from 1539 mentions that he died.
Work
Biringuccio is known as the father of the foundry industry because his book De la pirotechnia was the first printed work to describe correct methods for making metal objects. It explains mining methods, how to take out and purify many metals and alloys like brass, and materials used in metalwork and explosives. This book was printed 14 years before Georgius Agricola’s De re metallica.
Biringuccio was part of the secret guild called Fraternità di Santa Barbara. Before his book was published, knowledge about metalworking and military techniques was kept private. His book is believed to have started the tradition of writing scientific and technical books.
During his career, he managed an iron mine near Siena and also oversaw its mint and arsenal. He was responsible for casting cannons for Venice and later for Florence.
De la pirotechnia is one of the earliest technical writings from the Renaissance and provides important information about practices from that time. The book was printed in Venice in 1540 and has been reprinted many times.
The work is divided into ten sections that cover topics such as minerals, testing metals, smelting, separating gold from silver, alloys, casting metals (especially bells and cannons), and alchemy. He explains in detail how molds are made for casting to avoid defects, including how to create patterns for the final shape of objects.
- Title page, De la pirotechnia, 1540
- The Glasgow "Dead or Deid bell" of 1642
- Various 16th-century artillery pieces, including culverin, falconet, and mortar