Vincenzo Viviani

Vincenzo Viviani (1622 to 1703) was an Italian mathematician and scientist, a student of Torricelli and Galileo. Born in Florence to noble parents, he studied the humanities at a Jesuit school and then geometry under Clemente Settimi. After the Grand Duke Ferdinando II de' Medici took an interest in him in 1638, he became an assistant to the ailing Galileo, moved to Galileo's home in Arcetri in 1639 and remained his last disciple until Galileo's death in 1642. After Torricelli died in 1647 he was appointed to fill his position at the Accademia dell'Arte del Disegno in Florence, and he was one of the first members of the Grand Duke's experimental academy, the Accademia del Cimento. From 1655 to 1656 he edited the first edition of Galileo's collected works, and he worked throughout his life to preserve Galileo's contributions and life.