Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Folgore da San Geminiano fôlˈgōrā dä sän jāmēnyäˈnō [key], fl. 1308–16, Italian poet. Mesi, his cycle of sonnets on the seasons and their appropriate pleasures, is interspersed with zestf...

(Encyclopedia) Donati, Giovanni Battista jōvänˈnē bät-tēsˈtä dōnäˈtē [key], 1826–73, Italian astronomer, b. Pisa. Serving as director of the Florence Observatory from 1864, he was a pioneer in the spec...

(Encyclopedia) Crespi, Giovanni Battista jōvänˈnē bät-tēsˈtä krāsˈpē [key], c.1575–1632, Italian painter, sculptor, and architect of the Milanese school. He was also called Il Cerano. His paintings are ...

(Encyclopedia) Amici, Giovanni Battista jōvänˈnē bät-tēsˈtä ämēˈchē [key], 1786–1863, Italian astronomer, mathematician, and naturalist. He became director of the observatory and professor of astronomy...

(Encyclopedia) Giocondo, Fra Giovanni frä jōvänˈnē jōkônˈdō [key], c.1435–1515, Italian architect, engineer, and antiquary. A Franciscan friar, he was accomplished in philosophy, archaeology, and classica...

(Encyclopedia) Lanfranco, Giovanni jōvänˈnē länfrängˈkō [key], 1582–1647, Italian painter. Lanfranco is considered one of the foremost artists of the High Baroque. He was trained by the Carracci and worked...

(Encyclopedia) Ezzelino da Romano ĕtˌsālēˈnō dä rōmäˈnō [key], 1194–1259, Italian Ghibelline leader (see Guelphs and Ghibellines) and soldier. After 1232 a faithful supporter of Holy Roman Emperor Frede...

(Encyclopedia) Cavalcaselle, Giovanni Battista jōvänˈnē bät-tēsˈtä kävälkäsĕlˈlā [key], 1820–97, Italian art critic and writer. Cavalcaselle studied painting at the Academy of Venice and traveled ext...

(Encyclopedia) Straparola, Giovanni Francesco jōvänˈnē fränchāsˈkō sträpärôˈlä [key], d. c.1557, Italian writer. His lyric verse was not of lasting merit, but he excelled as a storyteller. He was perhap...

(Encyclopedia) Viotti, Giovanni Battista jōvänˈnē bät-tēsˈtä vyôtˈtē [key], 1755–1824, Italian violinist, considered the greatest of his day. He made public appearances until 1783, and the next year he ...