(Encyclopedia) VersaillesVersaillesvərsīˈ, Fr. vĕrsīˈ [key], city (1990 pop. 91,029), capital of Yvelines dept., N central France. It was an insignificant rural hamlet when Louis XIII constructed a…
(Encyclopedia) Foyt, A. J. (Anthony Joseph Foyt, Jr.), 1935–, American auto-racing driver, b. Houston. Foyt was the first person to win the Indianapolis 500 race four times (1961, 1964, 1967, 1977).…
(Encyclopedia) Bodel, JehanBodel, JehanzhäN bōdĕlˈ [key], b. c.1165, French trouvère of Arras. He is the author of one of the earliest dramas entirely in French, a mystery play entitled Le Jeu de…
(Encyclopedia) Hou Hsiao-hsien, 1947–, Taiwanese film director, b. Guangdong, China. His first feature film, Cute Girl (1980), and subsequent ones were generally saccharine romances until the…
(Encyclopedia) Beaumarchais, Pierre Augustin Caron deBeaumarchais, Pierre Augustin Caron depyĕr ōgüstăNˈ karôNˈ də bōmärshāˈ [key], 1732–99, French dramatist. Originally a watchmaker, he rose to…
(Encyclopedia) Boileau-Despréaux, NicolasBoileau-Despréaux, Nicolasnēkôläˈ bwälōˈ-dāprāōˈ [key], 1636–1711, French literary critic and poet. He was the spokesman of classicism, drawing his principles…
(Encyclopedia) Rochefort, Victor Henri, marquis de Rochefort-LuçayRochefort, Victor Henri, marquis de Rochefort-Luçayvēktôrˈ äNrēˈ rôshfôrˈ märkēˈ də rôshfôrˈ-lüsāˈ [key], 1831–1913, French…
(Encyclopedia) Perrault, ClaudePerrault, Claudeklōd [key]Perrault, Claude pĕrōˈ [key], 1613–88, French architect, scientist, and physician. One of the most eminent French scholars of his time, he…
