Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Ayrshire cattle rˈshēr, –shər [key], breed of dairy cattle originated in Scotland in the late 18th cent.; introduced into the United States in 1837. They are medium-sized and white mixed with red...

(Encyclopedia) Wouwerman, Philips fēˈlĭps vouˈvərmän [key], 1619–68, Dutch painter of Haarlem. He is best known for his spirited scenes of battles, encampments, cavalry skirmishes, and hunts. Of these he pai...

(Encyclopedia) Berkshire swine bûrkˈshər, bärkˈ–, –shĭr [key], one of the oldest of the improved breeds of swine, originating in the county of Berkshire in S central England. The breed was imported to the ...

(Encyclopedia) octopus, cephalopod mollusk having no shell, eight muscular arms or tentacles, a pouch-shaped body, and two large, highly developed eyes. The prey (crabs, lobsters, and other shellfish) is seized by t...

(Encyclopedia) patina pătˈənə [key], coating of carbonate of copper on articles of copper or bronze, formed after long exposure to a moist atmosphere or burial in the earth. Although commonly green, patina varie...

(Encyclopedia) Navarrete, Juan Fernández hwän fārnänˈdĕth nävärāˈtā [key], 1526–79, Spanish religious painter, called El Mudo [the mute]. He studied in a monastery and later in Italy, perhaps with Titia...

(Encyclopedia) sapwood, relatively thin, youngest, outer part of the woody stem of a tree, the part that conducts water and dissolved materials. In the cross section of a tree, the sapwood is recognizable by its tex...

(Encyclopedia) Gossec, François Joseph fräNswäˈ zhôzĕfˈ gôsĕkˈ [key], 1734–1829, Belgian composer; pupil of Rameau. In 1784 he organized the École Royale de Chant and taught (1795–1816) composition at...

(Encyclopedia) etching, the art of engraving with acid on metal; also the print taken from the metal plate so engraved. In hard-ground etching the plate, usually of copper or zinc, is given a thin coating or ground ...

(Encyclopedia) Makart, Hans häns mäˈkärt [key], 1840–84, Austrian history painter, studied with Karl von Piloty. His early success was phenomenal. The emperor of Austria provided him with a studio, and his sho...