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Rancé, Armand Jean le Bouthillier de

(Encyclopedia)Rancé, Armand Jean le Bouthillier de ärmäNˈ zhäN lə bo͞otēyāˈ də räNsāˈ [key], 1626–1700, French religious reformer, founder of the Trappists. He was of a noble family, was well educat...

Roland de la Platière, Jean Marie

(Encyclopedia)Roland de la Platière, Jean Marie zhäN märēˈ rôläNˈ də lä plätyĕrˈ [key], 1734–93, French revolutionary. An inspector general of commerce at Rouen and Amiens, he went to Paris in 1791 a...

Sismondi, Jean Charles Léonard Simonde de

(Encyclopedia)Sismondi, Jean Charles Léonard Simonde de zhäN shärl lāônärˈ sēmôNdˈ də sēsmôNdēˈ [key], 1773–1842, Swiss historian, economist, and critic. A member of the circle of Mme de Staël, he...

French art

(Encyclopedia)French art, the artistic production of the region that constitutes the historic nation of France. See also French architecture. The innovations of postimpressionism, combined with the influence of C...

Fouquet, Nicolas

(Encyclopedia)Fouquet or Foucquet, Nicolas fo͞okāˈ [key], 1615–80, superintendent of finance (1653–61) under King Louis XIV of France. His loyalty to Cardinal Mazarin during the Fronde helped to secure his ...

Gérin-Lajoie, Antoine

(Encyclopedia)Gérin-Lajoie, Antoine äNtwänˈ zhārăNˈ-läzhwäˈ [key], 1824–82, French Canadian author and journalist, b. Quebec prov. After serving as an editor (1845–52) on the Minerve, a Montreal newsp...

Bleimor

(Encyclopedia)Bleimor: see Calloc'h, Jean Pierre. ...

Chapais, Sir Thomas

(Encyclopedia)Chapais, Sir Thomas shäpāˈ [key], 1858–1946, Canadian politician and historian, b. Quebec prov.; son of Jean Charles Chapais (1811–85). Thomas Chapais became professor of history at Laval Univ....

overture

(Encyclopedia)overture, instrumental musical composition written as an introduction to an opera, ballet, oratorio, musical, or play. The earliest Italian opera overtures were simply pieces of orchestral music and w...

Martignac, Jean Baptiste Sylvère Gay, vicomte de

(Encyclopedia)Martignac, Jean Baptiste Sylvère Gay, vicomte de zhäN bätēstˈ sēlvĕrˈ gā vēkôNtˈ də märtēnyäkˈ [key], 1778–1832, French statesman. He was elected (1821) to the chamber of deputies a...