SEBASTIANO, called Del Piombo, from an office in the lead-mines given him by Pope Clement VII., was an eminent Venetian painter, born in the year 1485. He was first a disciple of old Giovanni Bellini; continued his studies under Giorgione; and having attained an excellent manner of colouring, went to Rome, where he insinuated himself into the favour of Michel Angelo. He has the reputation of being the first who invented the art of preparing plaster-walls for oil-painting; but he was so slow and lazy in his work, that other hands were often employed to finish what he had begun. He died in 1547.