BARBIERI, Paolo Antonio, da Cento, painter of still life and animals, was the brother of Guercino, and born at Cento in 1596. He chose for his subjects fruits, flowers, insects, and animals, which he painted after nature with a lively tint of colour, great tenderness of pencil, and a strong character of truth and life. He died in 1640.
BARBITOS (Βάρβιτος), an ancient stringed instrument of music, said to have been invented by Anacreon. It resembled the lyra, but greatly exceeded it in the number of its strings. Yet Anacreon himself indiscriminately uses the two names for this instrument in his first ode.
Ἀ βάρβιτος δὲ χορδαῖς
Ἐρύτα μόνων ἤχῃ.
— Λύρη δὲ
Ἐρύτας ἀντεφώνῃ.