Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Varro, Marcus Terentius, 116 b.c.–27? b.c., Roman man of letters. Known as the most erudite man and the most prolific writer of his times, Varro is estimated to have written about 620 volumes. He se...

(Encyclopedia) Schnorr von Carolsfeld, Julius yo͞oˈlyo͝os shnôr fən käˈrôlsfĕlt [key], 1794–1872, German religious and historical painter and draftsman. He studied with his father, Veit Hans Schnorr von C...

(Encyclopedia) Scopas skōˈpəs [key], Greek sculptor, fl. 4th cent. b.c., b. Paros. Although numbered among the Athenians, he wandered from place to place and did not attach himself to any school. He was the first...

(Encyclopedia) Burlington, Richard Boyle, 3d earl of, 1694–1753, English patron and architect of the Neo-Palladian movement. Even before age 21, when he became a member of the Privy Council and Lord High Treasurer...

(Encyclopedia) Velázquez, Diego Rodríguez de Silva y rôᵺrēˈgāth ᵺā sēlˈvä ē vāläthˈkāth [key], 1599–1660, b. Seville. He was the most celebrated painter of the Spanish school. Velázquez's dev...

(Encyclopedia) Golden Gate, strait, 4 mi (6.4 km) long and 1 to 2 mi (1.6–3.2 km) wide, linking San Francisco Bay with the Pacific Ocean. It was discovered in 1579 by the English explorer Sir Francis Drake. Known ...

(Encyclopedia) Lane, Franklin Knight, 1864–1921, U.S. Secretary of the Interior (1913–20), b. near Charlottetown, P.E.I., Canada. Raised in California, he later studied law and practiced in San Francisco, where ...

(Encyclopedia) Castro Valley, uninc. city (2020 pop. 66,441), Alameda co., W Calif., near San Francisco Bay. Chiefly residential, it also has light industries. ...

(Encyclopedia) Pizarro, Juan pēthärˈrō [key], d. 1536, Spanish conquistador, brother of Francisco Pizarro. He aided Francisco in the conquest of Peru. With his other brothers, Gonzalo and Hernando, he fought ag...

(Encyclopedia) Goldberg, Rube (Reuben Lucius Goldberg), 1883–1970, American cartoonist and sculptor, b. San Francisco. After drawing cartoons for San Francisco newspapers, he moved to New York City. There he worke...