February 24

Properzia de' Rossi emerged in early 16th-century Bologna as a talented sculptor working primarily in marble. She trained in her family’s workshop and produced notable reliefs and decorative sculptures for churches and palaces. Her most acclaimed work depicts the biblical story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife, earning praise from her contemporaries. De' Rossi’s achievements challenged gender norms in the male-dominated art world of the Renaissance. She was admired by fellow artists and mentioned by Vasari in his Lives. Although many of her works have been lost, her surviving pieces continue to inspire studies of women in Renaissance art.

Nicholas Lanier began his royal career as a musician in the court of James I, excelling as a lutenist and singer. He became one of the first English composers to incorporate Italian musical styles into his works. Appointed "Master of the King's Music" under Charles I, he composed scores for court masques and ceremonies. An accomplished painter, Lanier introduced continental art influences to the English court. Following the Civil War, his fortunes waned, but his innovative compositions influenced later Baroque musicians. He died in 1666, leaving a legacy as a versatile court artist.

Born in 1643, Marc-Antoine Charpentier studied in Rome before returning to Paris to cultivate his distinctive style. He composed an extensive repertoire of motets and masses, blending Italian virtuosity with French elegance. His "Te Deum" prelude became famous centuries later as a theme for European broadcasting. Charpentier also ventured into opera and chamber music, though he often worked in the shadow of Lully. As chapel master to the Duchess of Guise, he influenced a generation of French musicians. He died in 1704, leaving a legacy as one of France's most inventive Baroque composers.

Born in 1842 in Istanbul, Osman Hamdi Bey studied art in Paris before returning to the Ottoman Empire. He was appointed curator of the Imperial Ottoman Museum and went on to establish the Istanbul Archaeology Museum, introducing scientific methods to excavations. His Orientalist paintings, including The Tortoise Trainer, are celebrated for their rich detail and cultural insight. As an archaeologist, he fought against antiquities smuggling and laid foundations for modern heritage law in Turkey. Bey's dual legacy as an artist and scholar continues to influence both museum practice and Ottoman art history to this day.

Born in 1853 in Montluçon, Messager studied piano and composition at the Paris Conservatoire under Théodore Dubois. He gained fame with his ballet Les Deux Pigeons and the operetta Véronique, both admired for their melodic charm. Messager served as conductor at the Paris Opera and later directed the Opéra de Monte-Carlo. A dedicated teacher, he influenced a generation of French musicians through his professorship in composition. Honored with the Grand-Croix of the Légion d'Honneur, he is remembered for bridging traditional and modern French musical styles. Messager died in 1929, leaving a versatile catalog of orchestral, vocal, and stage works.

Hans Bellmer (1902-1975) was a German artist associated with the Surrealist movement. In the 1930s, he created unsettling dolls and photographic series that challenged conventional notions of beauty and sexuality. His work employed fragmented, distorted bodies to explore desire, psyche, and identity. Bellmer's doll sculptures were banned by the Nazi regime as degenerate art. After moving to France, he collaborated with writers and other Surrealists, influencing psychoanalytic and avant-garde circles. His legacy endures in contemporary art for its bold examination of the uncanny and the erotic.

Alma Thomas (1891-1978) was an African American artist and teacher whose colorful abstract paintings captured light and movement through rhythmic patterns of shape and hue. Born in Columbus, Georgia, she moved to Washington, D.C., where she taught art in public schools for over three decades. After retiring in 1960, she devoted herself to painting and gained national acclaim during the Civil Rights Movement. In 1972, she became the first African American woman to have a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Thomas's work is celebrated for its optimism, innovation, and joyful exploration of color theory. Today, her paintings hang in major museums worldwide, inspiring new generations of artists.

Born in 1927 in Dallas, Texas, Johnnie Ray became a breakout star with his 1951 hit 'Cry'. His emotionally charged singing earned him the nickname 'Nabob of Sob'. Ray's blend of pop, blues, and early rock influenced legends like Elvis Presley. Despite battling hearing loss, he maintained a prolific touring schedule. He appeared on numerous television specials and variety shows throughout the 1950s. His dramatic style helped lay the groundwork for modern rock ballads.

Born in 1921, Webb Pierce became one of country music's biggest stars during the 1950s. He scored 13 number-one hits on the Billboard country charts, including classics like 'There Stands the Glass' and 'Slowly'. Pierce's flamboyant Nudie suits and heart-on-sleeve lyrics made him a honky-tonk icon. He helped popularize the steel guitar sound and influenced later artists such as George Jones. Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001, his legacy endures in modern country music. Pierce also ran his own record label and supported up-and-coming artists of his era.

Jean Sablon, born in 1906, was one of France's first popular jazz crooners, earning him the nickname 'the French Crosby'. He introduced the microphone to French cabaret and revitalized the Parisian music scene in the 1930s. Sablon toured internationally, performing in the United States and South America, and appeared in films like Under the Roofs of Paris. His smooth vocal style and multilingual repertoire helped spread French chanson and jazz worldwide. He recorded hits such as 'J'attendrai' and collaborated with composers like Cole Porter. Sablon's legacy endures as a bridge between French popular music and American jazz traditions.

Dinah Shore began her career as a radio singer in the 1940s before rising to stardom on television. She hosted popular programs like The Dinah Shore Show in the 1950s and the talk show Dinah! in the 1970s. Her hits included 'Buttons and Bows', which earned her a Grammy Award. Shore was also a pioneer for women in broadcasting, producing and starring in her own series. Outside entertainment, she co-founded the Dinah Shore Golf Tournament, a premier event on the LPGA Tour. Her charismatic style and philanthropic efforts made her an enduring figure in American pop culture.

Born in Cuba in 1921, Antonio Prohías began his career drawing political cartoons before emigrating to the United States in 1960. He joined Mad Magazine in 1961 and launched the iconic 'Spy vs. Spy' series, featuring two rival spies in black and white. His minimalist, expressive artwork and wordless storytelling made the strip universally popular. Prohías contributed gags and panels to Mad for over three decades, shaping its irreverent humor. Through 'Spy vs. Spy', he satirized the absurdity of the Cold War, reaching readers of all ages. His work continues to influence cartoonists and is celebrated as a hallmark of comic satire.