Fortunio Liceti

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The statue representing Fortunio Liceti is situated in Prato della Valle square, Padua, which is now considered to be the second biggest square in Europe after The Red Square in Moscow. Situated in the exact centre of the big square, we can see the famous “prato senza erba” (meadow without grass) surrounded by an oval canal and two rows of statues (one on each side of the canal): all the statues represent important Paduan citizens. The monumental work consisting of 78 statues, was designed and ordered by Andrea Memmo in 1775. This statue in particular was made by Francesco Rizzi in 1777 and commissioned by Carlo Spinela. Fortunio Liceti was an Italian intellectual figure passionate about philosophy and medicine. Legend says, that Liceti was born prematurely and that his father, a famous doctor,  produced for him what we could call a prototype of the modern incubator: Liceti was placed inside an oven covered in cotton to keep him warm,  just like you would do to hatch eggs.  After his studies, Fortunio Liceti made several publications of philosophical and medical nature and started teaching at the Univerity of Pisa, Padua and Bologna where he became known and well appreciated.