January 2 is the birthday of Italian painter PIERO DI COSIMO (1462-1522).

Cosimo "is most famous for the mythological and allegorical subjects he painted in the late Quattrocento; he is said to have abandoned these to return to religious subjects under the influence of Savonarola, the preacher who exercised a huge sway in Florence in the 1490s, and had a similar effect on Botticelli. The High Renaissance style of the new century had little influence on him, and he retained the straightforward realism of his figures, which combines with an often whimsical treatment of his subjects to create the distinctive mood of his works." (Wikipedia)

To see samples of Cosimo’s art, CLICK HERE.

January 2 is the birthday of Russian composer MILY BALAKIREV (1837-1910).

Balakirev promoted Russian nationalism in his works which include chamber music, symphonies and tone poems. One of his biggest hits and still a show-stopping finale on many piano recitals is ISLAMEY. Here's Valentina Lisitsa performing it.

January 2 is the birthday of Soviet avant-garde filmmaker DZIGA VERTOV (1896-1954). In 1929, Vertov directed MAN WITH THE MOVIE CAMERA, which Sight and Sound magazine calls the greatest documentary ever made. It doesn't have a story, but is basically a portrait of a day in the life of Russia.

January 2 is the birthday of English composer SIR MICHAEL TIPPETT (1905-1998).
Tippett "was an English composer who rose to prominence during and immediately after the Second World War. In his lifetime he was sometimes ranked with his contemporary Benjamin Britten as one of the leading British composers of the 20th century. Among his best-known works are the oratorio A Child of Our Time, the orchestral Fantasia Concertante on a Theme of Corelli, and the opera The Midsummer Marriage." (Wikipedia)

January 2 is the birthday of chemist polymath and science fiction author ISAAC ASIMOV (1920-1992).

"People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do."

One of Asimov's most famous books is I, ROBOT. Asimov's Three Rules of Robotics are worth revisiting, especially with concerns raised by Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Stephen Hawking and others about the potential dangers of artificial intlligence.