Born on This Day: April 26

Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher whose Meditations became an enduring work of ethical and spiritual reflection.

Haitian-born American naturalist and artist whose bird illustrations transformed ornithology and wildlife art.

French painter whose color, movement, and historical imagination helped define Romantic art.

American landscape architect whose parks and urban designs transformed public space and city planning.

American writer and screenwriter whose wit and storytelling influenced silent film, theater, and popular fiction.

Austrian-British philosopher whose work on language and logic transformed twentieth-century philosophy.

American seismologist who developed the magnitude scale that changed how earthquakes are measured and understood.

American comedian and actor whose television work transformed sketch comedy and broadened opportunities for women performers.