Quintino Sella

Quintino Sella, who lived from 7 July 1827 to 14 March 1884, was an Italian politician, economist and mountaineer, born at Sella di Mosso in the Province of Biella. He studied engineering at Turin and mineralogy at the Parisian School of Mines, became professor of mineralogy in 1860, and held the finance portfolio in several Italian cabinets, working to put the national finances on a sound footing. A passionate alpinist, he founded the Club Alpino Italiano, and a number of its mountain huts are named in his honour. He was also involved in the competition for the first ascent of the Matterhorn. The mineral sellaite was named in his honour in 1869.