Venanzio Sella

Date of birth: 06-08-1901

Died: 24-08-1990

Place of birth: Biella

Died: Biella

Son of Gaudenzio (1860-1934) (second branch) and Gertrude Boswell (1867-1956), he graduated with honours in Jurisprudence at the University of Turin in 1933, discussing a thesis on the Statutes of Mosso. An expert on the history of the Biellese and in particular of Oropa, in 1935 he worked with his cousin Emanuele Sella on the treatise about the Sanctuary: Oropa storica, preistorica e protocristiana (Historic, prehistoric and protochristian Oropa). At the beginning of the Fifties he set up the “Academy of Oropa” (8 June 1950). He was vice-chairman of Banca Sella and administrator of other societies in the Group. He was a farmer and managed the Sella farm in Lessona, obtaining the official recognition of “appellation controlée” for the «Lessona» wine, in 1976. He was academic correspondent for the Academy of Agriculture of Turin and of the Italian Academy of the Vine. In 1928 he married donna Camilla Padulli daughter of the Count of Vighignolo (06-01-1904 and 12-08-1986), son of Count don Giulio and Francesca (called Fanny) of the Count Amman. Their children were: Fabrizio (1929-2001), Gaudenzio (1931), Francesca (1934), Maria Emanuela (1941), Sebastiano (1948).

From: Mario Zucchi, Famiglie di nobili e notabili del Piemonte illustrate nella loro genealogia (Noble and notable families of Piedmont and their genealogies); First supplement to «Patriziato Subalpino», by Baron A. Manno, Turin MCML (pag. 173); Maurizio Sella, Famiglia Sella Discendenze maschili e femminili 1570-2002 (Male and female descendants of the Sella family), printed Gariazzo, 2002 (TABLE. IX) Noble and notable families of Piedmont and their genealogies.