Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Le Play, Pierre Guillaume Frédéric pyĕr gēyōmˈ frādārēkˈ lə plā [key], 1806–82, French sociologist and economist. As an engineer he traveled through Europe, gathering data on the budgets...

(Encyclopedia) Daru, Pierre Antoine, Comte pyĕr äNtwänˈ kôNt därüˈ [key], 1767–1829, French soldier, administrator, statesman, and writer. He served in the French Revolutionary Wars, was imprisoned during ...

(Encyclopedia) Prud'hon, Pierre Paul pyĕr pôl prüdôNˈ [key], 1758–1823, French painter; 13th child of a Cluny stonemason. He gained recognition in 1796 with Truth Descending from the Heavens Led by Wisdom (Lo...

(Encyclopedia) Henry, Pierre Georges, 1927–2017, French composer noted for his contributions to electronic music. He studied with Nadia Boulanger and Olivier Messiaen at the Paris Conservatory, where he met Pierre...

(Encyclopedia) Charlevoix, Pierre François Xavier de pyĕr fräNswäˈ zävyāˈ də shärləvwäˈ [key], 1682–1761, French Jesuit traveler and historian. He taught at the Jesuit college in Quebec and at the Col...

(Encyclopedia) Coubertin, Pierre Frédy, baron de pyĕr frādēˈ, də co͞obĕrtăNˈ [key], 1863–1937, French founder of the modern Olympic games. Born into an aristocratic family, he pursued a career as an educ...

(Encyclopedia) Séguier, Pierre, duc de Villemor pyĕr sāgyāˈ dük də vēlmôrˈ [key], 1588–1672, chancellor of France. Beginning as counselor to the Parlement of Paris, he rose to become chancellor in 1635. ...

(Encyclopedia) Duhem, Pierre Maurice Marie pyĕr mōrēsˈ märēˈ düĕmˈ [key], 1861–1916, French physicist and philosopher and historian of science. After studying at the École Normale Supérieure he taught ...

(Encyclopedia) Brantôme, Pierre de Bourdeille, seigneur de pyĕr də bo͞ordāˈyə sānyörˈ də bräNtōmˈ [key], 1540?–1614, French courtier, soldier, and author of memoirs. He accompanied Mary Stuart to Sco...

(Encyclopedia) Monts, Pierre du Gua, sieur de pyĕr dü gwä syör də môN [key], c.1560–c.1630, French colonizer in North America. A wealthy Huguenot and a favorite of Henry IV, he was the holder of a trade mono...