Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Sade, Donatien Alphonse François, comte de

(Encyclopedia)Sade, Donatien Alphonse François, comte de dônäsyăNˈ älfôNsˈ fräNswäˈ kôNt də säd [key], 1740–1814, French writer and libertine. He is known as the marquis de Sade —the title he held...

Mucha, Alphonse

(Encyclopedia)Mucha, Alphonse älfôNsˈ mo͝okhˈä [key], 1860–1939, Czech artist. Mucha's art nouveau style, characterized by twisting, swirling flower and hair motifs, set the style for poster art for a gener...

Gérando, Joseph Marie de

(Encyclopedia)Gérando, Joseph Marie de zhôzĕfˈ märēˈ də zhāräNdōˈ [key], 1772–1842, French philosopher and political figure. Joining the insurrection in Lyons against the French Revolutionary governme...

Vien, Joseph-Marie

(Encyclopedia)Vien, Joseph-Marie zhôzëfˈ-märēˈ vyăNˈ [key], 1716–1809, French neoclassical painter. A protégé of the comte de Caylus, he won the Prix de Rome and studied in Italy. He was appointed direc...

February Revolution, in French history

(Encyclopedia)February Revolution, 1848, French revolution that overthrew the monarchy of Louis Philippe and established the Second Republic. General dissatisfaction resulted partly from the king's increasingly rea...

Argenson, René Louis de Voyer de Paulmy, marquis d'

(Encyclopedia)Argenson, René Louis de Voyer de Paulmy, marquis d' rənāˈ lwē də vwäyāˈ də pōmē märkēˈ därzhäNsôNˈ [key], 1694–1757, French foreign minister (1744–47), brother of Marc Pierre d'...

Marie Leszczynska

(Encyclopedia)Marie Leszczynska lĕshchĭnˈskə [key], 1703–68, queen of France, wife of Louis XV, and daughter of Stanislaus I of Poland. Married in 1725, she bore 10 children and was the grandmother of Louis X...

Montpensier, Anne Marie Louise d'Orléans, duchesse de

(Encyclopedia)Montpensier, Anne Marie Louise d'Orléans, duchesse de än märēˈ lwēz dôrlāäNˈ düshĕsˈ də mŏpäsyāˈ [key], 1627–93, French princess, called Mademoiselle and La Grande Mademoiselle; da...

Épernon, Jean Louis de Nogaret, duc d'

(Encyclopedia)Épernon, Jean Louis de Nogaret, duc d' zhäN lwē də nōgärāˈ dük dāpĕrnôNˈ [key], 1554–1642, French nobleman. He distinguished himself during the civil wars at the beginning of the reign ...

Franchet d'Esperey, Louis Félix Marie François

(Encyclopedia)Franchet d'Esperey, Louis Félix Marie François lwē fālēksˈ märēˈ fräNswäˈ fräNshāˈ dāpərāˈ [key], 1856–1942, marshal of France. He commanded the French 5th army in the battle of t...

Browse by Subject