Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) La Harpe, Jean François de lä ärp [key], 1739–1803, French critic. He was the author of the monumental Cours de littérature ancienne et moderne, lectures he delivered after his appointment (178...

(Encyclopedia) Sisley, Alfred älfrĕdˈ sĭsˈlē, sēslāˈ [key], 1839–99, French impressionist landscape painter, b. Paris, of English parents. He studied under Corot, Charles Gleyre, and Courbet and was (1873...

(Encyclopedia) Detaille, Jean Baptiste Édouard zhäN bäptēstˈ ādwärˈ dətäyˈ [key], 1848–1912, French painter. He studied under J. L. E. Meissonier and served in the Franco-Russian war. From this backgrou...

(Encyclopedia) Gérard, Jean Ignace Isidore zhäN ēnyäsˈ ēzēdôrˈ zhārärˈ [key], 1803–47, French caricaturist, illustrator, and lithographer, better known as Grandville. He is noted for his spirited caric...

(Encyclopedia) Harlow, Jean, 1911–37, American movie star, b. Kansas City, Mo., as Harlean Carpentier. Harlow brought charm and a sexual knowingness to a series of comedies during the 1930s, becoming the model of ...

(Encyclopedia) Laffite, Jean zhäN läfētˈ [key], c.1780–1826?, leader of a band of privateers and smugglers. The name is often spelled Lafitte. He and his men began operating (1810) off the Baratarian coast S o...

(Encyclopedia) Lully, Jean Baptiste zhäN bätēstˈ lülēˈ [key], 1632–87, French operatic composer, b. Florence, Italy. His name originally was Giovanni Battista Lulli. A self-taught violinist, he went to Fran...

(Encyclopedia) Perrin, Jean Baptiste zhäN bätēstˈ pĕrăNˈ [key], 1870–1942, French physicist. From 1910 to 1940 he was professor at the Univ. of Paris, and in 1941 he came to the United States. Perrin specia...

(Encyclopedia) Bokassa, Jean-Bédel zhäN-bĕdĕlˈ bōkäsˈsä [key], 1921–96, president of Central African Republic (1966–79). He served (1939–61) in the French army, then organized his country's army, beco...

(Encyclopedia) Charcot, Jean Martin zhäN märtăNˈ shärkōˈ [key], 1825–93, French neurologist. At the Salpêtrière in Paris he developed the greatest clinic of his time for diseases of the nervous system. He...