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FRA.
Luca Pacioli
The
Father of Double Entry Accounting
Luca
Pacioli (1445 - 1520) described himself modestly as a
"humble professor of sacred theology." In
actuality, however, he was one of the brilliant,
"all-purpose" men for whom the Renaissance is
noted. A friend of Leonardo da Vinci (who illustrated
one of Pacioli's works), the Franciscan monk was highly
esteemed in his time as a writer, a teacher, and an expert in
such diverse fields as mathematics, theology, architecture,
sports and games, military strategy and the world of
commerce. Although most of Pacioli's writings are on the
subjects of arithmetic and geometry, he is best remembered
today for his book on double-entry accounting, published in
1494. Most of the accounting methods he described are
considered to be as applicable today as they were in the
fifteenth century, as are Pacioli's many practical hints on
"how to succeed in business."
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