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) La Rochefoucauld, François, duc de fräNswäˈ, dük də lä rôshfo͞okōˈ [key], 1613–80, French writer. As head of an ancient family (in his youth he bore the title prince de Marcillac) he oppo...

(Encyclopedia) Bakewell, Robert, 1725–95, English livestock breeder and agriculturist. He successfully bred livestock for meat rather than appearance, developing new breeds, which included the Leicester sheep and ...

(Encyclopedia) Gómez de la Serna, Ramón rämōnˈ gōˈmāth dā lä sĕrˈnä [key], 1888–1963, Spanish novelist, biographer, and critic, b. Madrid. One of the most prolific and imaginative of modern Spanish wr...

(Encyclopedia) Houdin, Jean Eugène Robert or Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin zhäN özhĕnˈ rōbĕrˈ o͞odăNˈ [key], 1805–71, French conjurer and magician. Originally a clockmaker, he was celebrated for his optica...

(Encyclopedia) Moton, Robert Russa mōˈtən [key], 1867–1940, black American educator, b. Amelia co., Va., grad. Hampton Institute, 1890. He was commandant (1890–1915) of Hampton Institute, then principal and p...

(Encyclopedia) Cosa, Juan de la hwän dā lä kōˈsä [key], c.1460–1510, Spanish navigator. He sailed with Columbus in 1492 (as pilot of the flagship Santa María) and again in 1498. After accompanying Alonso de...

(Encyclopedia) Gasca, Pedro de la pāˈᵺrō ᵺā lä gäsˈkä [key], c.1485–1567?, Spanish colonial administrator. A priest as well as a lawyer, he was selected by Charles V to end the anarchy prevailing in Pe...

(Encyclopedia) Pantoja de la Cruz, Juan hwän päntōˈhä ᵺā lä kro͞oth [key], 1553–1608, Spanish portrait painter, court painter to Philip II and Philip III; pupil and follower of Alonzo Sánchez Coello. Th...

(Encyclopedia) La Tour, Maurice Quentin de də lä to͞or [key], 1704–88, French portraitist working in pastel. From 1737 to 1773 he exhibited at the Salon portraits of considerable technical virtuosity and psych...