Vannoccio Biringuccio

Vannoccio Biringuccio (born Oct. 20, 1480, Siena [Italy]—died c. 1539) was an Italian metallurgist and armament maker, chiefly known as the author of De la pirotechnia (1540; “Concerning Pyrotechnics”), the first clear, comprehensive work on metallurgy.

As a youth Biringuccio enjoyed the patronage of Pandolfo Petrucci (1450–1511), the dictator of Siena. Sent to Germany by Petrucci to study technology, he returned in 1513 and took a series of posts in Siena, Parma, Ferrara, and Venice as an armourer and metallurgist. He returned to Siena in 1530 and eight years later became director of the papal arsenal under Pope Paul III.

De la pirotechnia contrasts strikingly with the obscure alchemical writings of the time. The book is replete with lavish woodcuts illustrating the equipment and processes then in use and includes clear, practical instructions for mining, smelting, and metalworking. It became a standard reference and remains valuable as a source of information on the state of technology during the 15th and 16th centuries.