Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

De Maria, Walter Joseph

(Encyclopedia)De Maria, Walter Joseph, 1935–2013, American sculptor, b. Albany, Calif. From the late 1950s into the 60s De Maria partcipated in “Happenings,” created Dada-influenced minimalist sculptures, and...

Millais, Sir John Everett

(Encyclopedia)Millais, Sir John Everett mĭlāˈ [key], 1829–96, English painter. A prodigy, he began studying at the Royal Academy at the age of 11. In 1848, together with William Holman Hunt and Dante Gabriel R...

Bardeen, John

(Encyclopedia)Bardeen, John bärdēnˈ [key], 1908–91, American physicist, b. Madison, Wis., grad. Univ. of Wisconsin (B.S. 1928, M.S. 1929), Ph.D. Princeton, 1936. He was a research physicist at the Bell Telepho...

Ban, Shigeru

(Encyclopedia)Ban, Shigeru, 1957–, Japanese architect. After graduating (1984) from the Cooper Union School of Architecture, New York City, he established (1985) a practice in Tokyo, later adding offices in Paris...

Creon

(Encyclopedia)Creon krēˈŏn [key], a name given to several minor legendary Greek kings. In the legend of Oedipus, Creon is the brother of Jocasta and after the death of Oedipus' sons becomes king of Thebes. In Eu...

Chalcedon

(Encyclopedia)Chalcedon kălˈsĭdŏn, –dən, kălsēˈdən [key], ancient Greek city of Asia Minor, on the Bosporus. It was founded by Megara on the shore opposite Byzantium in 685 b.c. Taken by the Persians and...

Hervey of Ickworth, John Hervey, Baron

(Encyclopedia)Hervey of Ickworth, John Hervey, Baron härˈvē, hûrˈvē [key], 1696–1743, English memoirist. A temperamental figure who served in various minor offices under Robert Walpole, he is chiefly rememb...

Mannaeans

(Encyclopedia)Mannaeans mănēˈənz [key], ancient people of Asia Minor, occupying the region E of Assyria and SE of Urartu, in present-day NW Iran. Their kingdom, which flourished in the 9th and 8th cent. b.c., s...

Kent, William

(Encyclopedia)Kent, William, 1685–1748, English landscape gardener, architect, and painter. A minor painter, Kent made ceiling decorations for Kensington Palace. He greatly influenced landscape gardening by chang...