or BACCUS, ANDREAS, a celebrated physician of the sixteenth century, born at St Elpidio. He practised physic at Rome with great reputation, and was first physician to Pope Sixtus V. The most scarce and valuable of his works are the following:—1. De Thermis; 2. De Naturali Vinorum Historia, de Vinis Italiae, et de Convivis Antiquiorum; 3. De Venenis et Antidotis; 4. De Gemmis ac Lapidibus Pretiosis.

Baccio della Porta, called Bartolomeo di S. Marco, a celebrated historical and portrait painter, was born at Savignano, near Florence, in 1469, and died in 1517. He was a disciple of Cosimo Roselli; but his principal knowledge of the art was derived from Leonardo da Vinci. He understood the true principles of design better than most masters of his time; and as he was a considerable master of perspective, Raphael had recourse to him after quitting the school of Perugino, and under his direction studied the art of managing and uniting colours, as well as the rules of perspective. Some years after the departure of Raphael from Florence, Baccio visited Rome, where he derived much benefit from the study of the antique, and of the works of Raphael, which were then the admiration of the whole world. His improvement was manifested in a picture of St Sebastian, which he finished on his return to Florence. This was so well designed, so naturally and beautifully coloured, and so strongly expressive of suffering and agony, that it was found necessary to remove it from the place where it had been exhibited in the chapel of a convent, in consequence of the too powerful impression it had made on the imaginations of many women who beheld it. Baccio was very laborious, and made nature his perpetual study; his designs were distinguished for correctness and purity, his figures had a great deal of grace, and his colouring was admirable. He is usually accounted the inventor of the useful contrivance called the lay figure. There is a capital picture of the Ascension, by Baccio, in the Florentine collection.