(Encyclopedia) Renwick, James, 1818–95, American architect, b. New York City, grad. Columbia, 1836. His design for Grace Church (1843–46) in New York City was followed by that for St. Patrick's…
(Encyclopedia) Pontano, GiovanniPontano, Giovannijōvänˈnē pōntäˈnō [key], 1426–1503, Italian poet, historian, and statesman, who used also the Latin form Jovianus Pontanus. He was protected by…
(Encyclopedia) MarioMariomärˈyō [key], 1810–83, stage name of Giovanni Matteo, Cavaliere di Candia, Italian tenor. An officer of the Piedmontese guard, he went to Paris in 1836 and studied at the…
(Encyclopedia) Plushenko, Evgeni Viktorovich, 1982–, Russian figure skater. Plushenko debuted at the Russian Nationals in 1996, won the World Junior Championship a year later, and won the bronze…
(Encyclopedia) MontanismMontanismmŏnˈtənĭzəm [key], apocalyptic movement of the 2d cent. It arose in Phrygia (c.172) under the leadership of a certain Montanus and two female prophets, Prisca and…
(Encyclopedia) AdamAdamădˈəm [key], [Heb.,=man], in the Bible, the first man. In the Book of Genesis, God creates humankind in his image as a species of male and female, giving them dominion over…
(Encyclopedia) commutation of sentence, in criminal law, reduction of a sentence for a criminal act by action of the executive head of the government. Like pardon, commutation of sentence is a matter…
(Encyclopedia) Wierzyński, KazimierzWierzyński, Kazimierzkäzēˈmyĕsh vyĕzhĭˈnyəskē [key], 1894–1969, Polish poet and journalist. Wierzyński was a cofounder with Julian Tuwim of the Skamander group of…
(Encyclopedia) Advent [Lat.,=coming], season of the Christian ecclesiastical year preceding Christmas, lasting in the West from the Sunday nearest Nov. 30 (St. Andrew's Day) until Christmas Eve. In…
(Encyclopedia) scherzoscherzoskĕrˈtsō [key] [Ital.,=joke], in music, term denoting various types of composition, primarily one that is lively and presents surprises in the rhythmic or melodic…
