Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

375 results found

Piazzi, Giuseppe

(Encyclopedia)Piazzi, Giuseppe jo͞ozĕpˈpā pyätˈtsē [key], 1746–1826, Italian astronomer, a Theatine priest from 1769. He became (1781) professor of mathematics at the Univ. of Palermo, supervised construct...

pinnacle

(Encyclopedia)pinnacle pĭnˈĭkəl [key], minor architectural motif of vertical tapering shape, usually crowning a pier, buttress, or gable. Although sometimes it appears in Renaissance design, as in the Certosa d...

Pinturicchio

(Encyclopedia)Pinturicchio pēntō– [key] [Ital.,=little painter], c.1454–1513, Umbrian painter whose real name was Bernardino di Betto. A prolific and facile painter, he was influenced by Perugino, with whom h...

Betti, Ugo

(Encyclopedia)Betti, Ugo o͞oˈgō bətˈtē [key], 1892–1953, Italian dramatist and poet. He was a judge by profession. His earliest published works were two volumes of poetry (1922 and 1932), but he is remember...

Bontempelli, Massimo

(Encyclopedia)Bontempelli, Massimo mäsˈsēmō bōntĕmpĕlˈlē [key], 1878–1960, Italian writer and critic. One of the first of the intellectuals to support fascism, he was also a convert to futurism for a tim...

Bellarmine, Saint Robert

(Encyclopedia)Bellarmine, Saint Robert bĕlärˈmĭn [key], 1542–1621, Italian theologian, cardinal, Doctor of the Church, and a principal influence in the Counter Reformation. His full name was Roberto Francesco...

Medici, Cosimo I de'

(Encyclopedia)Medici, Cosimo I de', 1519–74, duke of Florence (1537–69), grand duke of Tuscany (1569–74); son of Giovanni de' Medici (Giovanni delle Bande Nere). In 1537, Lorenzino de' Medici murdered Cosimo'...

Montferrat

(Encyclopedia)Montferrat mŏntfərătˈ, –rätˈ [key], Ital. Monferrato, historic region of Piedmont, NW Italy, south of the Po River, now mostly in Alessandria prov. It is largely hilly, and wine, fruit, and ce...

Orsini

(Encyclopedia)Orsini ōrsēˈnē [key], powerful Roman family that included three popes and numerous other churchmen, soldiers and statesmen. The eponymous ancestor was one Ursus. Giacinto Orsini, who became Pope C...

Rainaldi, Carlo

(Encyclopedia)Rainaldi, Carlo kärˈlō rīnälˈdē [key], 1611–91, Italian architect of the high baroque. He followed in the steps of the great Roman masters of baroque building, Bernini, Borromini, and Cortona...