July 15 Dateline

Birthdays

1606 - Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, Dutch draughtsman, painter and printmaker. An innovative and prolific master in three media, he is generally considered one of the greatest visual artists in the history of art and the most important in Dutch art history. An innovative and prolific master in three media, he is generally considered one of the greatest visual artists in the history of art and the most important in Dutch art history. He was influenced by Caravaggio, Titian, Hercules Seghers and Hendrick ter Brugghen. His paintings are full of drama, contrasts between light and dark and experimental brushwork, and are famous all over the world. 

 
1915 - Gavin Maxwell, FRSL, FIAL, FZS (Sc.), FRGS, Scottish naturalist and author. Best known for his non-fiction writing and his work with otters. He wrote the book Ring of Bright Water, about how he brought an otter back from Iraq and raised it in Scotland.

1919 - Dame Jean Iris Murdoch, Irish and British writer & philosopher  (Iris Murdoch on Philosophy and Literature. YouTube, Uploaded by flame0430. Accessed July 15, 2009.) A 2001 biographical drama film has been adapted on the life of Iris Murdoch entitled Iris, that tells the story of Irish-born British novelist Dame Iris Murdoch and her relationship with John Bayley. It stars Dame Judi Dench (Iris Murdoch), Kate Winslet (young Iris), and Jim Broadband and Hugh Bonneville (young John). Official film trailer, uploaded by Miramax. Accessed July 15, 2017.)

1930 - Jacques Derrida (born Jackie Élie Derrida), Algerian-born French philosopher. Best known for developing a form of semiotic analysis known as deconstruction, which he discussed in numerous texts, and developed in the context of phenomenology.

1933 - Julian Alexander Bream, CBE, English virtuoso classical guitarist. One of the most distinguished classical guitarists of the 20th century, he played a significant role in improving the public perception of the classical guitar as a respectable instrument. (Julian Bream: My Life in Music. YouTube, uploaded by Guitar Passion. Accessed August 15, 2020.)
.
1934 - Sir Harrison Paul Birtwistle, CH, British composer. Leading European figure in contemporary music. His works combine modernist aesthetic, and his orchestral works of recent decades include Panic composed for the Last Night of the BBC Proms, The Shadow of Night commissioned by the Cleveland Orchestra and concertos for violinist Christian Tetzlaff and pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard. His stageworks include The Last Supper for Glyndebourne, The Minotaur for The Royal Opera, The Io Passion, The Corridor and The Cure.

1946 - Linda Maria Ronstadt, retired American singer who performed and recorded in diverse genres. She has earned 10 Grammy Awards, three American Music Awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy Award, and an ALMA Award. Many of her albums have been certified gold, platinum or multiplatinum. She has also earned nominations for a Tony Award and a Golden Globe award. On July 28, 2014, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts and Humanities. Ronstadt was among the five honorees who received the 2019 Kennedy Center Honors for lifetime artistic achievements, in Washington, D.C., at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Lefties:
None known

 

More birthdays and historical events today, 15 July - On This Day.

Featured Artist:  Julian Bream, Virtuoso Guitarist

Julian Bream performs works by Bach, Villa-Lobos, Albeniz and Britten at Old Wardour Castle. Julian Bream Concert 1978.(YouTube, uploaded by RareGuitarVC. Accessed 15th July 2018.)

Historical Events

This day is also known as "St. Swithin's Day." Swithun (old English name or Swithunus in Latin) was an Anglo-Saxon bishop of Winchester, subsequently patron saint of Winchester Cathedral. His historical importance as bishop is overshadowed by his reputation for posthumous miracle-working. When his bones were moved to a shrine in Winchester Cathedral on this day in 971 AD, it rained for the next 40 days.  

1799 - Captain Pierre-Francois Bouchard, a soldier in Napoleon's army, finds the Rosetta Stone in the Egyptian village of Rosetta near Alexandria. the stone proves to be key to deciphering Egyptian Hieroglyphics.

1869 - Hippolyte Mege Mouries wins a competition held by Emperor Napoleon III to find a synthetic edible fat by inventing margarine. He names margaron, it after the Greek word for pearl because of its pearly luster.

1974 - Archbishop Macarios, the President of Cyprus, is overthrown in a Greek-backed nationalist coup in Nicosia. On July 20, Turkey invades the island due to fears of a Greek takeover. This leads to the division of Cyprus in August.

1995 - Amazon.com opens for business in Seattle, U.S.  Amazon.com, one of the first and largest online retailers, started selling books. The first book, Fluid Concepts and Creative Analogies: Computer Models of the fundamental Mechanisms of Thought by Douglas Hofstadter, was sold this day. Amazon.com is founded by Jeff Bezos, also the firm's CEO. The company name reflects the volume of titles available, that is, around 1 million compared to the largest bookstores. And more, and important to worldwide readers and customers, is that Amazon provides access to obscure books that could be difficult to be found in an ordinary bookstore. Customers are also invited to review books they have read on the Amazon site. Amazon.com eventually branched out into selling other products and services.

1997 - Designer Gianni Versace is murdered outside his home in Miami by Andrew Cunanan, whom he had never met. Eight days later, Cunanan is found dead, shot with the same gun.



Resources:

1. Asiado, Tel. The World's Movers and Shapers. New Hampshire: Ore Mountain Publishing House (2005)

2. Britannica. www.britannica.com
3. Chambers Biographical Dictionary, 19th Ed. London: Chambers Harrap, 2011
4. Dateline. Sydney: Millennium House, (2006)
5. Grun, Bernard. The Timetables of History, New 3rd Revised Ed. Simon & Schuster/Touchstone (1991)
6. Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org




(c) June 2007. Updated July 15, 2023. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.