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Boileau-Despréaux, Nicolas

(Encyclopedia)Boileau-Despréaux, Nicolas nēkôläˈ bwälōˈ-dāprāōˈ [key], 1636–1711, French literary critic and poet. He was the spokesman of classicism, drawing his principles from his contemporaries, a...

Lémery, Nicolas

(Encyclopedia)Lémery, Nicolas nēkôläˈ lāmərēˈ [key], 1645–1715, French chemist. He was a pharmacist and lecturer in Paris and was the author of a standard textbook in chemistry (1675) and of a treatise o...

Gombert, Nicolas

(Encyclopedia)Gombert, Nicolas nēkôläˈ gôNbĕrˈ [key], c.1500–c.1560, Flemish composer. Gombert was the greatest follower of Josquin des Prés. He served at the court of Emperor Charles V. His sacred works ...

Froment, Nicolas

(Encyclopedia)Froment, Nicolas nēkôläˈ frômäNˈ [key], fl. 2d half of 15th cent., French painter of the Provençal school. While in the service of René of Anjou at Avignon, he painted The Resurrection of Laz...

Balzac, Jean Louis Guez de

(Encyclopedia)Balzac, Jean Louis Guez de də bälzäkˈ [key], 1597?–1654, French writer. His Lettres (1624, tr. 1634) and other writings were a great influence in reforming French prose. Their style was marked ...

La Harpe, Jean François de

(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...

Lancret, Nicolas

(Encyclopedia)Lancret, Nicolas nēkôläˈ läNkrāˈ [key], 1690–1743, French rococo painter. He studied in Gillot's studio, together with Watteau whose themes and manner he popularized. His favorite subjects we...

Duvergier de Hauranne, Jean

(Encyclopedia)Duvergier de Hauranne, Jean zhäN düvĕrzhyāˈ də ōränˈ [key], 1581–1643, French theologian. He is often called the Abbé de Saint-Cyran from an abbacy he held in commendam (i.e., received the...

Catinat, Nicolas

(Encyclopedia)Catinat, Nicolas nēkōläˈ kätēnäˈ [key], 1637–1712, marshal of France. The son of a magistrate, he won promotion by merit rather than by wealth or descent. In the War of the Grand Alliance he...

Joinville, Jean, sire de

(Encyclopedia)Joinville, Jean, sire de zhäN sēr də zhwăNvēlˈ [key], 1224?–1317?, French chronicler, biographer of Louis IX of France (St. Louis). As seneschal (governor) of Champagne, Joinville was a close ...