Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Zenger, John Peter

(Encyclopedia)Zenger, John Peter zĕngˈər [key], 1697–1746, American journalist, b. Germany. He emigrated to America in 1710 and was trained in the printing trade by the pioneer printer William Bradford. Zenger...

Ribera, Jusepe

(Encyclopedia)Ribera, Jusepe, José, or Giuseppe ho͞osāˈpā rēbāˈrä, hōsāˈ, jo͞ozĕpˈpā [key], c.1590–1652, Spanish baroque painter. He studied in Valencia and Rome but at an early age settled in Nap...

cire perdue

(Encyclopedia)cire perdue sēr pĕrdüˈ [key] [Fr.,=lost wax], sculptural process of metal casting that may be used for hollow and solid casting. The sculptor makes a model in plaster or clay that is then coated w...

Moses, Robert

(Encyclopedia)Moses, Robert, 1888–1981, U.S. public official, b. New Haven, Conn. He was appointed (1919) by Alfred E. Smith to the committee to study and revamp New York state government machinery, became (1924)...

Buss, Jerry

(Encyclopedia)Buss, Jerry (Gerald Hatten Buss), 1933–2013, American businessman and basketball executive, b. Salt Lake City. He worked in the aerospace industry unt...

Duveen, Joseph, 1st Baron Duveen of Millbank

(Encyclopedia)Duveen, Joseph, 1st Baron Duveen of Millbank dyo͝ovēnˈ, do͞o– [key], 1869–1939, English art dealer, b. Hull. Beginning his career (1886) in his father's antiques firm, Duveen Brothers, he soon...

crucifixion

(Encyclopedia)crucifixion, hanging on a cross, in ancient times a method of capital punishment. It was practiced widely in the Middle East but not by the Greeks. The Romans, who may have borrowed it from Carthage, ...

Cornell, Ezra

(Encyclopedia)Cornell, Ezra, 1807–74, American financier and founder of Cornell Univ., b. Westchester Landing, N.Y. Cornell, who began life as a laborer, was of an ingenious mechanical bent and had a shrewd busin...

Huxley, Sir Julian Sorell

(Encyclopedia)Huxley, Sir Julian Sorell, 1887–1975, English biologist and writer, educated at Oxford; grandson of Thomas Henry Huxley, brother of Aldous Huxley, and half-brother of Sir Andrew Huxley. He taught at...

Johnson, Reverdy

(Encyclopedia)Johnson, Reverdy, 1796–1876, American lawyer and statesman, b. Annapolis, Md. Admitted to the bar in 1816, he served in the Maryland legislature (1821–28) and the U.S. Senate (1845–49) and was a...