(Bosisio, Lecco 1729 – Milan 1799) Son of a modest silk trader, he was educated by a priest. Aat the age of ten he was sent to Milan to study religion while living with an old relative who left him with a small inheritance when she died. In 1752 he published “Alcune Poesie di Ripano Eupilino” which met with certain success in Milan’s literary circles. His economic situation declined at the death of his father and Baccaria was forced to give private lessons, copy judiciary acts, and tutor noble children. He however never abandoned neither the literary circles nor his writing activity. He composed “ Dialogo Sopra la Nobiltà” which can be considered a prelude to “Mattino” (1763), the first part of his masterpiece “Il Giorno”, a brave satire on decayed aristocracy.

When the second part “Il Mezzogiorno” was published in 1765. In spite of the great success the Count of Firmian, representative of Empress Maria Teresa, appointed him official poet of the Regio Ducale Teatro in 1768, and a year later director of the newspaper “Gazzetta di Milano” as well as teacher of literature and supervisor of the public schools in Brera. All these activities improved his economic situation, but prevented him from completing “Il Giorno” which was to include also “Vespro” and “Notte”. In spite of his support of the principles of equality and freedom, the advent of the French in Italy after the Revolution did not come to his advantage. His hate of excesses was not well accepted by the French and caused him to lose his job in the city Government. He died unknowing that “Il Giorno” in which he so eloquently depicted the faults of aristocracy was to become the “manifesto” of all revolutions.