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Largillière, Nicolas de

(Encyclopedia)Largillière, Nicolas de nēkôläˈ də lärzhēlyĕrˈ [key], 1656–1746, French portrait and history painter, b. Paris. He was brought up in Antwerp, and the influence of Rubens is evident in his ...

Clairaut, Alexis Claude

(Encyclopedia)Clairaut, Alexis Claude älĕksĕsˈ klōd klĕrōˈ [key], 1713–65, French mathematician. He assisted P. L. M. de Maupertuis in measuring (1736) a degree of an arc of a meridian in Lapland. He is n...

Oudinot, Nicolas Charles

(Encyclopedia)Oudinot, Nicolas Charles nēkôläˈ shärl o͞odēnōˈ [key], 1767–1847, French soldier. A veteran of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, he was created marshal of France (1809) and duke...

Monet, Claude

(Encyclopedia)Monet, Claude klōd mônāˈ [key], 1840–1926, French landscape painter, b. Paris. Monet was a founder of impressionism. He adhered to its principles throughout his long career and is considered the...

Davout, Louis Nicolas

(Encyclopedia)Davout, Louis Nicolas lwē nēkôläˈ dävo͞oˈ [key], 1770–1823, marshal of France. One of Napoleon's ablest generals, Davout defeated a Prussian army at Auerstedt (1806) and played a brilliant p...

Salmerón y Alonso, Nicolás

(Encyclopedia)Salmerón y Alonso, Nicolás nēkōläsˈ sälmārōnˈ ē älōnˈsō [key], 1838–1908, Spanish statesman and philosopher. A professor at Oviedo and Madrid universities and a convinced republican, ...

Duvalier, Jean-Claude

(Encyclopedia)Duvalier, Jean-Claude düvälyāˈ [key], 1951–2014, president of Haiti (1971–86). At age 19, he was proclaimed “president for life” upon the death of his father, Francois Duvalier. Under gre...

Simon, Claude Eugène Henri

(Encyclopedia)Simon, Claude Eugène Henri, 1913–2005, French novelist. He was born in Antananarivo, Madagascar, and studied at Paris, Oxford, and Cambridge. He fought in World War II both as a soldier and later i...

Allouez, Claude Jean

(Encyclopedia)Allouez, Claude Jean klōd zhäN älwāˈ [key], 1622–89, French Jesuit missionary in Canada and the American Midwest. After arriving (1658) in Canada he served at posts in the St. Lawrence region u...

Rambaud, Alfred Nicolas

(Encyclopedia)Rambaud, Alfred Nicolas älfrĕdˈ nēkôläˈ räNbōˈ [key], 1842–1905, French historian and politician. He served in the administration of Jules Ferry, was elected senator (1895), and was minist...