Faà di Bruno

Faà di Bruno is the name of an Italian noble family based in the areas of Asti, Casale, and Alessandria, which provided the Counts (later Marquises) of Bruno. Prominent members included:

* Giovanni Matteo Faà di Bruno was a musician of some importance from Casale who published two books of madrigals as well as vespers, psalms, motets and settings of the Magnificat. [Iain Fenlon, ‘Faà di Bruno, Giovanni Matteo [Horatio, Orazio] ’, "The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians".] He was invested as first Count of Bruno in 1588.
* Camilla Faà di Bruno, (c.1599–1662), a society beauty who was married secretly, briefly and morganatically to Ferdinando I the Gonzaga Duke of Mantua and Monferrato; her memoirs have been described as the first prose autobiography written by an Italian woman.
* Ferdinando Faà di Bruno became the first Marquis of Bruno when the county was elevated into a marquisate on 31 March 1652.
* Ortensio Faà di Bruno (fl. 1686) was Abbot of Carentini, which enabled him to pursue his criminal tendencies in a state of legal immunity.
* Antonino Faà di Bruno (bishop) (1762–1829), Bishop of Asti.
* Alessandro Faà di Bruno, an innovator in the field of agriculture.
* Emilio Faà di Bruno (1820–1866), officer of the Regia Marina; as commander of the frigate “Re D’Italia” he died at the Battle of Lissa during the Third Italian War of Independence.
* The Beato Francesco Faà di Bruno (1825-1888), brother of Emilio, was a mathematician and priest. He is best known for Faà di Bruno's formula.
* Antonino Faà di Bruno (actor) (1910–1981) appeared in films by Pasolini ("Porcile"), Fellini ("Amarcord") and Comencini ("La donna della domenica").

Notes and references

* Scrivanti Franco, " [http://www.ilmonferrato.info/at/bruno/bruno1.htm Bruno] ", www.ilmonferrato.info. it