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Bibliothèque nationale

(Encyclopedia)Bibliothèque nationale bēblēōtĕkˈ näsyônälˈ [key], national library of France, in Paris, a government archive, and one of the foremost libraries of the world. It originated with the collecti...

Crèvecoeur, J. Hector St. John

(Encyclopedia)Crèvecoeur, J. Hector St. John krĕvkörˈ [key], 1735–1813, American author and agriculturist, b. France as Michel Guillaume Jean de Crèvecoeur. It is believed that he served under Montcalm in Ca...

Guitry, Lucien Germain

(Encyclopedia)Guitry, Lucien Germain säshäˈ [key], 1885–1957, actor and dramatist. Guitry's skillful and witty dramas include Nono (1905), Deburau (1918), Jean de la Fontaine (1922), and Mozart (1925). He also...

Gérard, François Pascal Simon, Baron

(Encyclopedia)Gérard, François Pascal Simon, Baron zhārärˈ [key], 1770–1837, French portrait and historical painter, b. Rome. In Paris, after brief study under Pajou and others, he became a favorite pupil o...

Pagnol, Marcel

(Encyclopedia)Pagnol, Marcel märsĕlˈ pänyôlˈ [key], 1895–1974, French dramatist and film director. Pagnol gained recognition for his trilogy of sentimental comedies set on the Marseilles waterfront—Marius...

book of hours

(Encyclopedia)book of hours, form of prayer book developed in the 14th cent. from the prayers of clerics appended to the main service. The subjects of the miniature illustrations (see miniature painting) were frequ...

Piaf, Edith

(Encyclopedia)Piaf, Edith pēäfˈ [key], 1915–63, French cabaret singer, born as Edith Giovanna Gassion. She began to sing at 15 in cafés and on the streets of Paris and was soon engaged to sing in a cabaret. F...

Gil de Taboada y de Lemos, Francisco

(Encyclopedia)Gil de Taboada y de Lemos, Francisco fränthēsˈkō hēl dā täbōäˈᵺä ē ᵺā lāˈmōs [key], d. 1809, Spanish colonial administrator. After serving as viceroy of New Granada (1789), he was ...

Mayenne, Charles de Lorraine, duc de

(Encyclopedia)Mayenne, Charles de Lorraine, duc de shärl də lôrĕnˈ dük də mäyĕnˈ [key], 1554–1611, French Catholic general in the Wars of Religion (see Religion, Wars of); brother of Henri, 3d duc de Gu...

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