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Apr 25, 2024 15 tweets 6 min read Read on X
The Greatest Minds to Have Ever Lived (A Four-Part Series) - Part 4

Here are luminaries who have laid the foundations for the arts, philosophy, and the sciences that continue to shape our world.

Let's look at how they were immortalized in art.🧵⤵️ Image
Hippocrates

Known as the "Father of Medicine," Hippocrates was an ancient Greek physician who established a systematic approach to clinical medicine and set ethical standards for medical practice, as encapsulated in the Hippocratic Oath. Statue of Hippocrates in front of the Mayne Medical School in Brisbane. By Kgbo - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=103636989
Ibn Khaldun

Ibn Khaldun was a North African Arab historiographer and historian who is often regarded as one of the forerunners of modern historiography, sociology, and economics. His best-known work, the "Muqaddimah" (Introduction to History), is admired for its insightful analysis of historical processes and for laying the foundations of several social science disciplines.Ibn Khaldun (on the right end) along with other philosophers Part of Time's Treasures Mural by Sadequain
Johann Sebastian Bach

Bach was a German composer and musician whose mastery of counterpoint and harmony in works like the "Brandenburg Concertos" and "St. Matthew Passion" has profoundly shaped classical music, leaving an indelible mark on music theory and composition. Johann Sebastian Bach by 'Gebel'
Charles Darwin

Darwin was an English naturalist whose theory of evolution through natural selection, detailed in his book "On the Origin of Species," radically transformed biological sciences by providing a unifying explanation for the diversity of life. While still a young man, Darwin joined the scientific elite; portrait by George Richmond By George Richmond - From Origins, Richard Leakey and Roger Lewin, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22092879
Simone de Beauvoir

De Beauvoir was a French existentialist philosopher whose seminal work "The Second Sex" offered a profound analysis of women's oppression, laying the intellectual foundation for the modern feminist movement. Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre in Beijing, 1955 By 刘东鳌(Liu Dong'ao) - Xinhua News Agency; Larger 1024 x 1199, 183.3 KB version from https://www.delo.si/images/slike/2018/12/17/o_416925_1024.jpg as displayed by https://www.delo.si/kultura/knjiga/ko-se-je-sartre-spogledoval-z-jastogi-124490.html, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47073115
Thomas Edison

An American inventor and businessman, Edison's creation of the first practical incandescent light bulb and development of electric power generation and distribution systems revolutionized everyday life. Edison's Menlo Park Lab in 1880
Alexander Graham Bell

Bell was a Scottish-born inventor whose invention of the telephone transformed global communication and he also made significant contributions to the education of the deaf and hard of hearing. Bell at the opening of the long-distance line from New York to Chicago in 1892 By Gilbert H. Grosvenor Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress. - http://www.americaslibrary.gov/jb/recon/jb_recon_telephone_1_e.html, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1389089
Benjamin Franklin

Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, and his inventions, such as the lightning rod, and his experiments with electricity have had lasting impacts on science and technology. Franklin in London in 1767, wearing a blue suit with elaborate gold braid and buttons, a far cry from the simple dress he affected at the French court in later years, depicted in a portrait by David Martin that is now on display in the White House. By David Martin - The White House Historical Association, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9390044
Rabindranath Tagore

Tagore was a Bengali polymath who reshaped literature and music in India, and as a Nobel laureate in Literature, he brought Indian culture to a global audience. Young Tagore in London, 1879
Wangari Maathai

Maathai was a Kenyan environmental activist and the founder of the Green Belt Movement, an environmental organization that has planted over 50 million trees. She was also the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy, and peace.Maathai and then U.S. Senator Barack Obama in Nairobi in 2006 By Fredrick Onyango from Nairobi, Kenya - https://www.flickr.com/photos/44222307@N00/269107766/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2267930
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz

A self-taught scholar and poet of the Baroque school, Sor Juana was a nun in New Spain (now Mexico) who advocated for women’s rights and education, becoming one of the first published feminist writers. Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz by Miguel Cabrera
Akira Kurosawa

Kurosawa was a Japanese film director and screenwriter, whose storytelling prowess and cinematic techniques in films such as "Seven Samurai" and "Rashomon" have influenced filmmakers worldwide and are regarded as some of the greatest and most influential films ever made.Kurosawa on the set of Seven Samurai in December 1953 Credit: By 映画の友 (Eiga no tomo) - Scan from the original work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29019594
Elon Musk

As a technology entrepreneur and industrial designer, Musk has made pivotal contributions to the advancement of electric vehicles and renewable energy with Tesla, Inc., and has challenged space exploration frontiers with his aerospace company SpaceX.

He also owns Neuralink, a neurotechnology company focused on developing brain-computer interfaces, and has acquired Twitter, a major social media platform challenging the future of legacy media platforms.Musk discussing a Neuralink device during a live demonstration in 2020 By Steve Jurvetson - https://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/50280652497/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=93666208
If you enjoyed this thread, please share with others and do take a look at the earlier parts in this series of four threads starting with Part 1 linked below.

Additionally check out Parts 2 and 3.

Part 2:

Part 3:

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More from @CultureExploreX

Feb 1
“Men did not love Rome because she was great. She was great because they had loved her.”
– G. K. Chesterton.

Rome’s art doesn’t just impress—it overwhelms, with frescoed ceilings, opulent marble halls, and masterpieces that leave you breathless. 🧵 Doria Pamphilj Gallery Insta: @avanicastrophoto
1. Vatican Museums

Home to rooms like the Raphael Rooms and the Gallery of Maps, where walls and ceilings explode with color and detail, leaving you stunned by the sheer scale of human creativity.

Which room in the Vatican has overwhelmed you the most? Image
2. Sistine Chapel

Michelangelo’s ceiling isn’t just famous—it’s a visual thunderclap, pulling your gaze upward into a world of divine drama and impossible beauty.
Read 20 tweets
Jan 31
War isn’t just fought on battlefields.

It’s immortalized on canvas, revealing both horror and glory.

These wartime paintings lay bare history’s most brutal and haunting moments. 🧵 The destruction of the Ottoman fleet on 7 July Jacob Philipp Hackert
1. The Battle of Alexander at Issus (1529) by Albrecht Altdorfer at the Alte Pinakothek, Munich

What if Alexander had lost the Battle of Issus—would the Persian Empire have crushed his ambitions and rewritten the course of history? Image
2. Battle of Chesma at Night (1848) by
Ivan Aivazovsky at the Central Naval Museum, St. Petersburg Image
Read 21 tweets
Jan 30
She was a teenage girl who led armies, defied kings, and was burned alive at 19.

But Joan of Arc didn’t vanish in the flames—she became immortal. 🧵 Joan of Arc by John Everett Millais in Private Collection (1865)
Joan of Arc's story begins in 1412, in the small village of Domrémy, France.

At 13, she began experiencing visions, claiming that saints instructed her to support Charles VII and help expel the English from France. Jeanne d'Arc écoutant les voix by Eugène Thirion (1876) at the Notre Dame Church, Ville de Chatou
Determined, Joan approached local officials, seeking an audience with Charles VII.

Initially met with skepticism, her persistence paid off.

She convinced Charles of her divine mission, and he allowed her to accompany the army to Orléans. Joan of Arc Enters Orléans by Jean-Jacques Scherrer (1887) at the Musée des Beaux-Arts d'Orléans.
Read 14 tweets
Jan 29
Germany hides towns so breathtaking they seem taken from fantasy—places where medieval legends, secret treasures, and cinematic beauty come alive.

Yet, many have never even heard of some of them. 🧵 Known for its porcelain, Meissen was the birthplace of Europe’s first true porcelain in 1710, a craft that had eluded the continent for centuries. But here’s something even more fascinating—beneath the town, there’s an intricate network of tunnels, rumored to be ancient escape routes or secret paths used during conflicts. Some even say they were used by alchemists trying to transform base metals into gold! It’s this mix of medieval magic and craftsmanship that makes Meissen far more than just a porcelain capital.  Credit: @_TraveltheEarth
1. Rothenburg ob der Tauber

It looks straight out of a fairy tale because it is.

The town’s medieval charm influenced the visual design of Godric’s Hollow in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1.

Do you know which famous animated Disney film drew inspiration from its dreamy medieval streets?Image
2. Bad Wimpfen

Before it became a spa town, Bad Wimpfen was home to one of the largest Romanesque imperial palaces in Germany.

But it's true treasure?

The saltwater springs, revered for their healing properties since Roman times. Image
Read 23 tweets
Jan 27
"Paris isn’t just a city—it’s a universe of its own." — King Francis I.

And you know what? He was right.

Let’s wander through its streets and uncover why Paris stands in a league of its own. 🧵 Beneath Arc de Triomphe, lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, added in 1921 to honor unidentified soldiers who died during World War I. The eternal flame, which burns continuously, was the first of its kind to be installed in Western Europe after the Great War. What many don't realize is that this flame has never been extinguished—not even during the Nazi occupation of Paris in World War II. It is rekindled every evening in a solemn ceremony, a tradition that has remained unbroken for over a century. Credit: Breezechai
1. Sainte-Chapelle

This 13th-century Gothic jewel dazzles with its stained-glass and once held relics of Christ's Passion.

Do you know which French king commissioned the construction of Sainte-Chapelle to house relics of Christ’s Passion, including the Crown of Thorns?

A) Louis IX
B) Charlemagne
C) Philip IV
D) Francis ICredit: @JeremyTate41
2. Palais Garnier

A temple of opera and grandeur, this 19th-century masterpiece inspired the setting for The Phantom of the Opera.
Read 21 tweets
Jan 26
Modern art is becoming classical again!

These sculptors prove that classical techniques are thriving and turning heads worldwide. 🧵 Kris Kuksi's Tribulation (2015) is a breathtakingly intricate sculpture that feels like a dystopian cathedral come to life.
1. Jago (Jacopo Cardillo)

Jago’s been called the ‘modern Michelangelo’—do you agree?

His marble sculptures are so raw and lifelike, they almost seem to breathe
2. Benjamin Victor

When your work ends up in the U.S. Capitol, you know you're doing something right.

Victor’s sculptures bring classical artistry to modern icons, packed with emotion and dignity. Image
Read 23 tweets

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