G.
B. Amici (Modena 1786, Florence 1863). He studied Geometry and Mathematical
Analysis and in 1808 he obtained the qualification of "Engineer-Architect"
at the University of Bologna. He became professor of Geometry and Algebra at
The Liceo in Modena in 1810, professor of Geometry and Algebra and Plane Trigonometry
at the University of Modena in 1815. In 1831 he was invited to the post of Professor
and Director at the Astronomical Observatory and Royal Musuem of Physics and
Natural History at Florence, where he remained till 1859. After that he took
a nominal position as director of microscopical research at the museum. He is
regarded as the major and most prestigious Italian microscope builder.
According to historians and studious, he was the one who invented the first
compound microscope whose performances were superior to the simple microscope
(Ronchi, "Scritti di Ottica"). Regardless the difficult Italian historical
period and his laboratory certainly not comparable to the foreign industries
technologies, he was able to sell his instruments, nowadays highly esteemed
and valuable, outside Italy. He soon became
well-known and his fame spread all over the world. It must be remembered that
before Italy was unified, there was a keen
competition with foreigner industries and the lack of proper funds;
Galilei's successors had the great strength to continue their work in times
of troubles, with many of them committed to assert free thought.
Scheme of catoptric microscope
by Amici (Biblioteca dell'Archiginnasio, Bologna)
