World History

Thursday, November 30, 2006

The Biography of Artemisia Gentileschi




Artemisia was born in Rome on July 8, 1593. Artemisia was the first child of the painter, Orazio Gentileschi. Orazio was one of the greatest representatives of the school, Caravaggio. Artemisia started painting in her father's workshop. Artemisia was much more talented than her brothers that were working next to her. She learned drawing, how to mix colors, and how to paint. Since her father took the style of painting from Caravaggio during that time, her style was influenced from Caravaggio as well. However, her approach to subject was different from her father's.

Thursday, November 09, 2006

North America


North America is a continent in the Earth's northern hemisphere and almost fully in the western hemisphere. It is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southeast by the Caribbean Sea, and on the south and west by the North Pacific Ocean; South America lies to the southeast, connected to North America by the isthmus of Panama. It covers an area of about 24,490,000 km² (9,450,000 sq mi), or about 4.8% of the planet's surface. As of October 2006, its population was estimated at over 514,600,000. It is the third-largest continent in area, after Asia and Africa, and is fourth in population after Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Antartica


Antarctica is the southernmost continent and includes the South Pole. Geographic sources disagree as to whether it is surrounded by the Southern Ocean or the South Pacific Ocean, South Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean. It is divided by the Transantarctic Mountains. On average, it is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent and has the highest average elevation of all the continents.[1] At 14.425 million km², Antarctica is the third-smallest continent after Europe and Australia; 98% of it is covered in ice. Because there is little precipitation, except at the coasts, the interior of the continent is technically the largest desert in the world. There are no permanent human residents and Antarctica has never had an indigenous population. Only cold-adapted plants and animals survive there, including penguins, fur seals, mosses, lichens, and many types of algae. The name "Antarctica" comes from the Greek ανταρκτικός (antarktikos), meaning "opposite the Arctic."

Asia


Asia is the largest and most populous continent or region, depending on the definition. It covers 8.6% of the Earth's total surface area, or 29.4% of its land area, and it contains more than 60% of the world's human population.Asia is traditionally defined as part of the landmass of Africa-Eurasia – with the western portion of the latter occupied by Europe – lying east of the Suez Canal, east of the Ural Mountains, and south of the Caucasus Mountains and the Caspian and Black Seas.