GIOVANNI BATTISTA, an Italian artist, was born at Genoa in 1554. In addition to his passion for pictorial art, he attained early to a high celebrity in poetry, philosophy, and history. His first lessons in painting were received from Cambiaso; and he was gradually rising into notice in his art, when he was compelled to flee his country for homicide. He took up his residence in Florence, where he remained for twenty years, executing pictures of great merit. His works were characterized by dignity and nobleness, combined with a grace and delicacy which brought Pagginus him occasionally into comparison with Barocci, and even Coreggio. Witness his pictures in the church degli Angioli, in the cloister of S. Maria Novella, his stupendous "Transfiguration" in S. Marco, and his three pictures at Pavia. His reputation obtained his recall to Genoa in 1600, and he set to work to revive the declining art of his native town. Vandyck and Rubens had just visited that place, and left behind them some of their masterpieces, which provoked the competition of Paggi, and led to the production of his best works, the "Slaughter of the Innocents," and the two paintings at the church of S. Bartolomeo, executed in 1606. The better to further his design in reviving Genoese art, Paggi published in 1607 a useful compendium, designed for the use of young painters, entitled Diffinizione o sia Divisione della Pittura. This distinguished artist died at Genoa in 1627, leaving behind him a school of painters who did much to sustain the reputation of their master. (Lanzi, History of Painting, vol. v.)