MANTEGAZZA, PAOLO. - Anthropologist, hygienist, writer, b. at Monza on 31 Oct. 1831, d. at S. Terenzo (Liguria) on 26 Aug. 1910. Having graduated in medicine at Pavia, he traveled in Europe and in Latin America to learn about customs and races. Having obtained a chair at the University of Pavia, he founded there the first laboratory of general pathology and, after moving to Florence, the first museum of anthropology.
Through popular writings, almanacs and journals, he popularized his theories. He was a convinced supporter of Darwinism, which he applied in his research and championed in his writings; but certain of his scientific lectures amounted to an Epicurean sensualism. He enjoyed a certain success, and it wrongly seemed that his pages represented a victory of secularism over clerical prejudices; instead they ended up harming the rigor of science. He championed neo-Malthusianism and free love, accepted divorce, polygamy and even polyandry.
A deputy from 1865 to 1876, then a senator, he left autobiographical material in Ricordi politici di un fantaccino di Montecitorio (1896). He wrote two novels: Un giorno a Madera and Il Dio ignoto (1876). Of his other works, the following are expressly on the Index: Elementi d'igiene, decr. 22 March 1869; Gli amori degli uomini, decr. 25 June 1886; Fisiologia dell'amore, decr. 25 June 1886; Igiene dell'amore, decr. 25 June 1886, 14 July 1892; L'arte di prender moglie, decr. 14 July 1892; Fisiologia dell'odio, decr. 14 July 1892; Fisiologia della donna, decr. 14 July 1893; L'arte di prender marito, per far seguito all'arte di prender moglie, decr. 8 June 1894.
Bibliography5 works
Manasuto Lotti Lombardi