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Oort, Jan Hendrik

(Encyclopedia)Oort, Jan Hendrik ōrt [key], 1900–1992, Dutch astronomer. He confirmed (1927) Bertil Lindblad's theory of the Milky Way galaxy's rotation. In the 1950s he and his colleagues used radio astronomical...

Witt, Jan de

(Encyclopedia)Witt, Jan de yän [key], 1625–72, Dutch statesman. Like his father, Jacob de Witt, burgomaster of Dort, he became a leading opponent of the house of Orange and played a vital role in the three succe...

Sweelinck, Jan Pieterszoon

(Encyclopedia)Sweelinck, Jan Pieterszoon yän pēˈtərsōn swāˈlĭngk [key], 1562–1621, Dutch organist and composer, called the “maker of German organists” because the succession of his pupils descended di...

Weenix, Jan Baptist

(Encyclopedia)Weenix, Jan Baptist yän bäptĭstˈ vāˈnĭks [key], 1621–63, Dutch painter and engraver. About 1649 he settled in Utrecht, becoming in the same year the master of the painters' guild there. Weeni...

Cliburn, Van

(Encyclopedia)Cliburn, Van (Harvey Lavan Cliburn) klīˈbərn [key], 1934–2013, American pianist, b. Shreveport, La. Until 1951, Cliburn studied with his mother, a concert pianist; he later was a pupil of Rosina ...

Van, Lake

(Encyclopedia)Van, Lake vän [key], 1,453 sq mi (3,763 sq km), largest lake in Turkey, in E Turkey 65 mi (105 km) SW of Mt. Ararat. Some 75 mi (120 km) long, the lake is alkaline and has no outlet; the city of Van ...

Van Wert

(Encyclopedia)Van Wert văn wûrt [key], city (1990 pop. 10,891), seat of Van Wert co., NW Ohio, near the Ind. line, in a rich grain-farming area; inc. 1848. Fabricated metal products, electronic equipment, cheeses...

Van Dyck, Cornelius Van Alen

(Encyclopedia)Van Dyck, Cornelius Van Alen, 1818–95, American missionary, b. Kinderhook, N.Y. In 1840 he went to Syria as a medical missionary. In 1846 he was ordained in the Congregational ministry. Besides bein...

Christus, Petrus

(Encyclopedia)Christus or Cristus, Petrus both: pēˈtrəs krĭsˈtəs [key], fl. 1444–c.1473, Flemish painter; a follower and probably a pupil of the Van Eycks. In 1444 he became a free citizen of Bruges, where ...

Dalmáu, Luis

(Encyclopedia)Dalmáu, Luis lo͞oēsˈ dälmouˈ [key], fl. 1428–60, Spanish painter, court painter to Alfonso of Aragon. His only undisputed work, Virgin with Councilors (Barcelona), shows the influence of Jan v...