January 9 is the birthday of French painter SIMON VOUET (1590-1649).

Vouet "was a French painter who studied and rose to prominence in Italy before being summoned by Louis XIII to serve as Premier peintre du Roi in France. He and his studio of artists created religious and mythological paintings, portraits, frescoes, tapestries, and massive decorative schemes for the king and for wealthy patrons, including Richelieu. During this time, 'Vouet was indisputably the leading artist in Paris,' and was immensely influential in introducing the Italian Baroque style of painting to France. He was also according to Pierre Rosenberg, 'without doubt one of the outstanding seventeenth-century draughtsmen, equal to Annibale Carracci and Lanfranco.'" (Wikipedia)

To see examples of Vouet’s work, CLICK HERE.

January 9 is the birthday of amateur watercolorist CASSANDRA AUSTEN (1773-1845).

Cassandra was the elder sister of Jane Austen. She produced a series of illustrations of English monarchs for Jane's "The History of England."

"Jane died in 1817 and Cassandra is reported to have destroyed two thirds of Jane's letters in 1843 - a couple of years before her own death. She passed the remainder on to relations as mementoes." (Wikipedia)

To see examples of Austen’s work, CLICK HERE.

January 9 is the birthday of French sculptor and photographer ANTOINE SAMUEL ADAM-SALOMON (1818-1881).

"After becoming established as a sculptor, Adam-Salomon studied photography under the portraitist Franz Hanfstaengl in Munich in 1858. He became a leading portrait photographer. Adam-Salomon returned to Paris where he opened a portrait studio in 1859. In 1865 he opened a second Paris studio. Adam-Salomon's portrait photographs were considered to be among the best existing works during his lifetime, and were renowned for their chiaroscuro produced by special lighting techniques." (Wikipedia)

To see examples of Adam-Salomon’s work, CLICK HERE.

January 9 is the birthday of Czech author KAREL ČAPEK (1890-1938).

"Robots of the world, you are ordered to exterminate the human race. Do not spare the men. Do not spare the women. Preserve only the factories, railroads, machines, mines, and raw materials. Destroy everything else. Then return to work. Work must not cease."

Čapek "has become best known for his science fiction, including his novel War with the Newts (1936) and play R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots, 1920), which introduced the word robot. He also wrote many politically charged works dealing with the social turmoil of his time. Influenced by American pragmatic liberalism, he campaigned in favor of free expression and strongly opposed the rise of both fascism and communism in Europe." (Wikipedia)