Gasparino da Barzizza

Gasparino da Barzizza (born 1360, Barzizza, near Bergamo, Italy—died 1431, Milan) was an early Italian humanist teacher noted for his ability to convey Classical civilization to the Italy of his day.

Barzizza studied grammar and rhetoric at Pavia, remaining there from 1407 to 1421 to lecture in the university and direct a grammar school. He moved to Venice and then to Padua, where he won fame as a teacher of science and as a humanist. He taught later at Ferrara and, from 1421 to 1430, at Milan, at Pavia, and briefly at Bologna. Barzizza was known for his scholarship as well as for his teaching. His writings included works in epistolography, oratory, rhetoric, and literary and historical commentary, and he compiled a manual of Latin orthography. His Book of Letters (1470) was the first book produced by a printing press in France. His son Guimforte (c. 1406–63) became a noted teacher and author.