Umberto Eco, the bestselling author of the critically-acclaimed novel "The Name of the Rose," died Friday. The author, philosopher, professor, essayist and literary critic was 84 at the time of his passing, according to the New York Daily News.

His death was confirmed by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt spokeswoman Lori Glazer, but the cause of the author's death has not been officially released. Local reports, however, have alleged that the prominent literary figure had been battling cancer.

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has issued a statement about the author's death, emphasizing Eco's fascinating talent in the world of literature, reported Investment Underground.

"He was an extraordinary example of European intellectualism, uniting a unique intelligence of the past with an inexhaustible capacity to anticipate the future," Renzi said.

Even before he became a household name due to the runaway success of his most famous novel, Eco was already a formidable figure in academic circles. Fascinated by the obscure and the mysterious, he had a penchant for dabbling in philosophy and the theory of semiotics, the study of signs and symbols in languages, reported Fox News.

After becoming a bestselling author, he became an even more prominent figure in the academe. By 2000, 23 educational institutions had awarded him with honorary degrees.

Eco is survived by his wife, Renate Ramge Eco, whom he married in 1962, as well as his son and daughter.

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