Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Mesdag, Hendrik Willem hĕnˈdrĭk vĭlˈəm mĕsˈdäkh [key], 1831–1915, Dutch marine painter. He gave up banking at 35 to study painting. He later lived at The Hague and was known as a painter an...

(Encyclopedia) Biringuccio, Vannocio vän-nôˈchō bērēn-go͞otˈchō [key], 1480–c.1539, Italian metallurgist. He is best known for his practical manual of metallurgy, De la pirotechnia (1540, tr. 1942). As a ...

(Encyclopedia) Conscience, Hendrik hĕnˈdrĭk kôNsēäNsˈ [key], 1812–83, Flemish novelist, a founder of modern Flemish literature. His many historical novels were romantic but powerful, in the tradition of Sco...

(Encyclopedia) Klein, Calvin Richard klīn [key], 1942–, American fashion designer, b. New York City. In 1968 he established Calvin Klein Limited, which produced clothes and accessories bearing his hallmark of sim...

(Encyclopedia) Vanua Levu väno͞oˈä lāˈvo͞o [key] or Sandalwood Island, volcanic island, 2,137 sq mi (5,535 sq km), S Pacific, second largest of the Fiji Islands. Nasoro Levu, or Mt. Thurston (3,139 ft/960 m),...

(Encyclopedia) Barker, James Nelson, 1784–1858, American playwright, b. Philadelphia. In 1838, Van Buren appointed him comptroller of the Treasury, and with slight interruptions he worked in the Treasury Dept. unt...

(Encyclopedia) Grundy, Felix, 1777–1840, American political leader, b. Berkeley co., Va. After a successful career in Kentucky, he moved to Nashville, Tenn., where he became a noted criminal lawyer. A member (1811...

(Encyclopedia) Paulus, Friedrich frēˈdrĭkh pouˈlo͝os [key], 1890–1957, German field marshal. He commanded the army at the siege of Stalingrad and was raised to marshal's rank several hours before his surrende...

(Encyclopedia) Nettuno nāt-to͞oˈnō [key], town (1991 pop. 33,827), in Latium, central Italy, on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is an agricultural center and a seaside resort. With nearby Anzio it was the site of an Alli...

(Encyclopedia) Alofi, village, capital of Niue, a South Pacific island nation in free association with New Zealand. Situated on Alofi Bay on Niue's W coast, it was the island's largest settlement and ...