Cesare Cantù

Born in Brivio in 1804, Cesare Cantù grew into one of the best-known Italian men of letters of his century. He worked as a teacher early on, but his reputation was built mainly through writing: history, biography, criticism, fiction, and journalism all became part of his huge output.

He is especially remembered for large-scale historical works, including a widely read universal history that helped bring historical writing to a broad public. Alongside that, he wrote novels and essays and took part in the civic and political world of Lombardy during a period of major change in Italy.

Cantù died in Milan in 1895. Today he is remembered as a remarkably productive author whose books reflect both the learning and the public debates of 19th-century Italy.