Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

233 results found

pastel

(Encyclopedia)pastel păstĕlˈ [key], artists' medium of chalk and pigment, tempered with weak gum water and usually molded in the form of sticks; also a work done in this medium. Pastel was in use in Italy in the...

Luks, George Benjamin

(Encyclopedia)Luks, George Benjamin lo͞oks [key], 1867–1933, American portrait and genre painter, b. Williamsport, Pa., studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and in Düsseldorf. He worked as a new...

horseshoe

(Encyclopedia)horseshoe, narrow plate, commonly of iron or steel, shaped to fit a horse's hoof and attached to the hoof by nailing it to the inner edge of the horny wall of the hoof. Horseshoes vary from the light ...

wire

(Encyclopedia)wire, metal filament, strand, or solid rod usually having a round cross section. Metals and alloys used for wiremaking are chosen for high tensile strength and ductility or for their electrical conduc...

tendril

(Encyclopedia)tendril, slender, sensitive structure of many climbing plants that by a response to contact (see auxin) supports the plant. Tendrils are modified stems, leaves, or leaf parts or roots. Most young tend...

Basedow, Johann Bernhard

(Encyclopedia)Basedow, Johann Bernhard yōhänˈ bĕrnˈhärt bäˈzədō [key], 1723–90, German educator, b. Hamburg, educated in Hamburg and at the Univ. of Leipzig. Later he taught in Denmark (1753) and German...

Crome, John

(Encyclopedia)Crome, John, 1768–1821, English landscape painter, b. Norwich. Crome was the principal painter of the Norwich school. He is often called Old Crome to distinguish him from his son who painted in the ...

draft horse

(Encyclopedia)draft horse or work horse, any breed of horse that is suited to or used for drawing heavy loads. Draft horses originated in central Europe, where their domestication preceded the Roman invasion. Popul...

mezzotint

(Encyclopedia)mezzotint mĕtˈsətĭnt, mĕdˈzə–, mĕzˈə– [key] [Ital.,=halftint], method of copper or steel engraving in tone. A Dutch officer, Ludwig von Siegen, is given credit for the invention of mezzo...

Millar, John

(Encyclopedia)Millar, John, 1735–1801, Scottish philosopher and historian. Millar studied at Glasgow, where he became the chief disciple of Adam Smith. In 1761 Millar became professor of civil law at Glasgow, and...