August 19

Born in 944 into the powerful Fujiwara clan, Sukemasa rose through the court ranks to become a senior statesman. He held high offices at the imperial court, influencing policy and court ceremonies. He was also celebrated for his mastery of calligraphy, producing elegant works that set the standard for Heian aesthetics. His patronage of poetry and the arts helped shape the cultural flourish of the era. After his death in 998, his calligraphic style was preserved and studied by subsequent generations of Japanese artists.

Born in Castagno, Andrea del Castagno rose to prominence in the mid-15th century for his powerful frescoes, including his striking depiction of the Last Supper in Sant'Apollonia. A student of prominent masters, he developed a dramatic style characterized by intense chiaroscuro and solid, sculptural figures. His works bridged Gothic traditions and emerging Renaissance ideals, influencing contemporaries and later artists. His legacy endures through his innovative contributions to the development of perspective and human expression in painting. Despite his untimely death in 1457, his surviving frescoes continue to draw admiration for their emotional depth and technical skill.

Born in 1508 near Vicenza, Andrea Palladio studied Roman architecture and developed a harmonious style combining symmetry, perspective, and classical orders. He designed iconic buildings such as the Basilica Palladiana, the villas at Maser, and the churches of San Giorgio Maggiore and Il Redentore in Venice. His publication, 'I Quattro Libri dell'Architettura' (The Four Books of Architecture), disseminated his principles across Europe, giving rise to Palladianism. Palladio's emphasis on proportion and functionality revolutionized building design and inspired architects from Britain to America. He died in 1580, leaving a lasting legacy as one of history's most influential architects.

František Maxmilián Kaňka was a leading Baroque architect in Bohemia renowned for his influence on Prague's skyline. He oversaw major projects such as the reconstruction of Prague Castle interiors and the design of churches and palaces. His work blended elegance and structural innovation, leaving a lasting mark on Central European Baroque architecture. Kaňka collaborated with prominent sculptors and painters to create harmonious art and architecture ensembles. His legacy is visible in landmarks like the Church of St. Nicholas and the Clementinum complex.

Johann Balthasar Neumann was a leading figure of German Baroque architecture known for his innovative engineering and decorative style. Born in 1687, he became chief architect for the prince-bishops of Würzburg and Bamberg. His design of the Würzburg Residence features grand staircases, frescoed ceilings, and harmonious proportions. Neumann also designed the Basilica of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, a pilgrimage church famed for its dynamic spatial design. His work combined structural ingenuity with Rococo artistry, influencing architectural practice across Europe. He passed away in 1753, leaving a legacy of monumental buildings that remain cultural landmarks.

Jean-Baptiste Accolay was a Belgian violinist, composer and conductor renowned for his enduring Violin Concerto in A minor. Born in Bruges in 1833, he studied at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels. Accolay later taught violin and viola at the Antwerp Conservatory for many years. He composed numerous educational works designed to develop young string players' technique. His 1868 Violin Concerto in A minor remains one of the most popular student concertos today. Accolay also conducted local orchestras and chamber ensembles throughout Belgium. His contributions to violin pedagogy continue to influence teaching methods worldwide.

Sergei Diaghilev was a Russian art critic, patron and impresario who founded the legendary Ballets Russes in 1909. Born in Selishchi, Russia in 1872, he studied law and art history before launching his artistic career. Diaghilev's Ballets Russes introduced groundbreaking choreography, music and design to Western audiences. He collaborated with composers like Stravinsky and artists such as Picasso to create innovative productions. Under his leadership, the company toured Europe, influencing the development of modern ballet. Diaghilev championed contemporary art and provided a platform for avant-garde talent. He died in Venice in 1929, leaving an enduring impact on performing arts and dance.

Louis Anquetin was a French Post-Impressionist painter best known for developing Cloisonnism with Émile Bernard. Born in Normandy in 1861, he moved to Paris to study under Fernand Cormon. His bold use of color and outlined shapes contrasted with Impressionist blending techniques. Anquetin's works influenced contemporaries like Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin. Later in life, he turned to art history and focused on Renaissance painting studies. Despite his early artistic innovations, he lived his later years away from the Paris art scene. He died in 1932, leaving a legacy as a founder of a distinctive modern painting style.

Heinrich Rauchinger was a Kraków-born painter renowned for his detailed landscapes and cityscapes. Born in 1858, he trained at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. Rauchinger specialized in atmospheric scenes that captured light and architectural detail. His work included views of Central European cities and rural vistas. He exhibited widely in Vienna and across the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Rauchinger's paintings combined realism with romantic sensibilities. He died in 1942, leaving a body of work celebrated for its technical precision and mood.

Henry Joseph Wood was an English conductor who, in 1895, conceived the annual "Henry Wood Promenade Concerts" at the Queen's Hall in London, which later became known simply as the Proms. Over a career spanning almost half a century, he championed British composers such as Elgar and Vaughan Williams. Wood studied at the Leipzig Conservatory before holding posts with the Carl Rosa Opera Company and the Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra. His commitment to making classical music accessible to wider audiences revolutionized concert-going in Britain. Knighted in 1911, he influenced generations of musicians and helped establish London as a world-leading center of orchestral performance.

David Bomberg was born in 1890 in Birmingham and studied art at the Slade School of Fine Art in London. He served as an officer in World War I, where the conflict deeply influenced his later artistic style. Initially associated with the Vorticist movement, Bomberg’s bold use of abstract forms evolved into a powerful, expressionistic approach. After the war, he became a respected teacher at the South London Art School, inspiring a generation of artists. His experiments with form, color, and perspective positioned him as a bridge between early modernist movements and post-war British art.

Pierre Schaeffer was regarded as the father of musique concrète, an approach that uses recorded sounds as compositional material. In the 1940s, he founded the Studio d'Essai at French radio to explore tape manipulation and sound montage. His groundbreaking techniques laid the foundation for modern electronic music. Schaeffer also published influential writings on music theory and aesthetics. He inspired generations of composers and sound artists to think beyond traditional instrumentation. His legacy endures in the innovative use of technology in music today.