Born on December 4

A Catholic priest and politician of the French Revolution, he championed the emancipation of Jews and the abolition of slavery in the colonies. Elected as a constitutional bishop, he sat in the National Convention and helped secure the passage of the 1794 abolition decree.

Russian-born painter who was naturalized German and then French (1866–1944), Kandinsky is one of the pioneers of abstract art. He theorized the connection between color, form, and emotion, laying the groundwork for a radically new aesthetic.

Austrian poet writing in German, one of the greatest lyric poets of the 20th century. Author of the Duino Elegies and the Sonnets to Orpheus, he explores existential anguish, solitude, and the search for meaning.