Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Durand, Asher Brown

(Encyclopedia)Durand, Asher Brown dyo͞orăndˈ [key], 1796–1886, American painter and engraver, b. near Newark, N.J. He established a reputation by his engravings of Trumbull's Signing of the Declaration of Inde...

Desai, Anita

(Encyclopedia)Desai, Anita dĕsīˈ [key], 1937–, Indian fiction writer, b. Mussoorie as Anita Mazumdar, grad. Delhi Univ. (B.A., 1957). A prolific novelist, she often paints a subtly intelligent and darkly evoca...

Douglas, Gawin

(Encyclopedia)Douglas, Gawin or Gavin gäˈwĭn, găvˈĭn [key], 1474?–1522, Scottish poet and churchman; son of Archibald Douglas, 5th earl of Angus. He is considered one of the great medieval Scottish poets. D...

Hügel, Friedrich, Baron von

(Encyclopedia)Hügel, Friedrich, Baron von frēˈdrĭkh bärōnˈ fən hüˈgəl [key], 1852–1925, British Roman Catholic religious writer, b. Florence; son of an Austrian diplomat. After his marriage (1873), Hü...

Harsha, Indian emperor

(Encyclopedia)Harsha hûrˈshə [key], b. c.590, Indian emperor (606–47). He became (606) king of a small state in the upper Ganges Valley, and by 612 he had built up a vast army with which he forged nearly all I...

Herrera, Francisco de

(Encyclopedia)Herrera, Francisco de ᵺā ārāˈrä [key], c.1576–1656, Spanish painter, engraver, miniaturist, and draftsman. He worked in Seville most of his life, executing religious and genre subjects. His ...

moon worship

(Encyclopedia)moon worship. Although the moon has not had great prominence in the history of religion, the worship of it has been known since earliest recorded time—in the oldest literatures of Egypt, Babylonia, ...

Michelet, Jules

(Encyclopedia)Michelet, Jules zhül mēshəlāˈ [key], 1798–1874, French writer, the greatest historian of the romantic school. Born in Paris of poor parents, he visualized himself throughout his life as a champ...

Mussadegh, Muhammad

(Encyclopedia)Mussadegh, Muhammad mo͞ohämˈmäd mo͞oˈsädāg [key], 1880–1967, Iranian political leader, prime minister of Iran (1951–53). He held a variety of government posts (1914–25) but retired to pr...

Arbus, Diane

(Encyclopedia)Arbus, Diane ärˈbəs [key], 1923–71, American photographer, b. New York City. For nearly 20 years Arbus operated a successful fashion photography studio with her husband, Allan Arbus. She studied ...