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Fantin-Latour, Ignace Henri Jean Théodore

(Encyclopedia)Fantin-Latour, Ignace Henri Jean Théodore ēgnäsˈ äNrēˈ zhäNˈ tēōdôrˈ fäNtăNˈ-läto͞orˈ [key], 1836–1904, French painter and lithographer. He is best known for his portrait groups o...

Mandeville, Sir John

(Encyclopedia)Mandeville, Sir John, 14th-century English author of The Travels of Sir John Mandeville. Originally written in Norman French, the work became enormously popular and was translated into English, Latin,...

Machault d'Arnouville, Jean Baptiste de

(Encyclopedia)Machault d'Arnouville, Jean Baptiste de zhäN bätēstˈ də mäshōˈ därno͞ovēlˈ [key], 1701–94, French statesman. He held a succession of government offices and was (1743–45) intendant of V...

Maurepas, Jean Frédéric Phélippeaux, comte de

(Encyclopedia)Maurepas, Jean Frédéric Phélippeaux, comte de zhäN frādārēkˈ fālēpōˈ kôNt də môrəpäˈ [key], 1701–81, French statesman. He succeeded his father as minister of state at 14, the post ...

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...

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...

Cepheid variables

(Encyclopedia)Cepheid variables sēˈfēĭd [key], class of variable stars that brighten and dim in an extremely regular fashion. The periods of the fluctuations (the time to complete one cycle from bright to dim a...

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 ...

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