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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:

Anyone we missed that should have been on the list?

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More from @CultureExploreX

Apr 22
Most people think a pope dies, and that’s it. Funeral, mourning, next man up.

But what actually happens behind Vatican walls?

It’s one of the oldest and most secretive rituals in the world. And it just got triggered. 🧵👇 Image
Pope Francis is gone. He passed away on Easter Monday.

And now, the Vatican enters a phase it hasn’t faced in 20 years—The Papal Interregnum.

Here’s what’s really going on…

and what happens next. Image
The moment a pope dies, everything stops. The Papal Apartment gets sealed.

Even though Francis didn’t live there, the tradition stands.

It marks the end of his reign. No turning back.
Read 20 tweets
Apr 21
“Men did not love Rome because she was great.
She was great because they had loved her.”
– G. K. Chesterton

That love wasn’t abstract. It was carved in marble, painted in fresco, and built into domes.

Rome’s architecture doesn’t just impress—it overwhelms. 🧵👇 Borghese Gallery Credit: italysegreta
From secret palaces to churches that play tricks on your eyes...

Rome isn't just ancient ruins.

It’s an art installation built across centuries.

Once you see this, you’ll never look at the city the same again. Palazzo Altemps Credit: Italy Segreta
1. Vatican Museums

Each hallway is a visual delight.

Especially the Gallery of Maps and the Raphael Rooms.

The ceilings alone are more ambitious than most modern buildings. Image
Read 18 tweets
Apr 20
“Beauty perishes in life, but is immortal in art.” – Leonardo da Vinci

But what does immortal beauty look like?

Here are ten soul-piercing sculptures that will haunt you or will leave you breathless. 🧵👇 “Modesty” by Antonio Corradini
1. Michelangelo’s Pietà

It is Easter Sunday. And only befitting to start with Michelangelo's masterpiece.

She doesn’t scream.

She cradles him—broken, lifeless—her face frozen in grace. Carved from marble before Michelangelo turned 25.

One block. One chisel. One mother’s eternal grief.
2. Bernini’s Abduction of Proserpina

Fingers grip flesh. Marble bends like skin.

This isn’t just sculpture. It’s a moment of terror, power, and desperation—frozen forever.

Bernini was only 23.
Read 14 tweets
Apr 18
It’s Good Friday. Jesus was crucified.

But what happened to the 12 who followed Him? They didn’t fade into silence.

They were hunted, tortured, and killed—one by one.

And yet, they never turned back.

Their final moments will wreck you. 🧵👇 The Pieta by Michelangelo original file by Stanislav Traykov • CC BY 2.5
You’ve heard of the 12 apostles.
But you probably don’t know how they died.

After the resurrection, the apostles gathered in Jerusalem.

They shared everything. Prayed together.
Then came Pentecost.

The Holy Spirit filled them with fire—and they began preaching with fearless power.

But they were crucified, flayed, beheaded, speared. All for refusing to stay silent.

This is the untold story of what became of Jesus’ closest followers...Luca Signorelli, Communion of the Apostles. 1512.
Domenico Ghirlandaio, fresco in The Sistine Chapel, The Vocation of the Apostles. 1481–1482.
Entombment of Christ by Caravaggio
Jacob Jordaens, Four apostles. c. 1627.
Peter

Once a fisherman, then the rock of the Church.

He denied Jesus three times—but spent the rest of his life making up for it.

He built the Church in Rome… and was crucified upside down.

He said he wasn’t worthy to die like his Lord. Crucifixion of Saint Peter By Caravaggio (1601) at the Santa Maria del Popolo, Rome
Read 20 tweets
Apr 17
You think you know ancient history?
Greece. Rome. Egypt.

But what about the civilizations we forgot?

They built wonders, ruled empires, and shaped the world… Only to vanish.

Let me show you 15 ancient cultures you’ve never heard of—but should have. 🧵👇 "Al-Khazneh" Photo by Stefan Liebermann  Credit: @archeohistories
Let’s begin…

1. The Nabataeans (Jordan)

Yes, Petra. But they weren’t just stonemasons.
They hacked the desert—building hidden cisterns, channels, and reservoirs that still function.

Water was power. They mastered it. Hegra, also known as Mada’in Salih, is Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, carved into rock by the Nabataeans before the 1st century AD. Once a bustling trade hub, its 111 rock-cut tombs and unique blend of Greek, Roman, and Egyptian influences now captivate travelers seeking its mysteries. Credit: @histories_arch
A Nabatean sculpture of Atargatis Credit: By Dennis G. Jarvis - flickr/photos/archer10/2217600108/, CC BY-SA 2.0
2. The Kingdom of Elam (Iran)

Long before Persia, Elam built ziggurats like Chogha Zanbil—older than most pyramids.

They wrote clay tablets with laws, recipes, and love letters.

It was a city of stories. The Ziggurat of Chogha Zanbil is an ancient temple complex located in the Khuzestan province of southwestern Iran. Photo Credit: @johnlopez2nd John the Alchemist
Elamite Ibex Statue from 2nd Millennium BC, Persia (ancient Iran). Photo credit: @Dr_TheHistories
Read 18 tweets
Apr 16
You walk into a Gothic cathedral thinking it’s just another old church.

But what if I told you, it was once the most advanced structures ever built?

A place where light was engineered, sound was weaponized, and stone was used to tell stories.

Let me show you. 🧵👇 Basilica of Saint-Denis, Saint-Denis. The Basilica of Saint-Denis is the first Gothic cathedral and the burial place of French kings and queens. Its innovative architecture marked the beginning of Gothic art. Credit: Gothic Churches @GothicChurches
These weren’t just places of worship.

They were power statements. Engineering marvels.

And France built more of them than anywhere else on earth.

But the reason why? That’s where the story gets wild. Interior of Chatres Cathedral
Start in Strasbourg—for over 200 years, its cathedral was the tallest structure in the world.

It’s not just big. It’s precise.

Every statue, every arch, serves a purpose: to control light, space, and the mind. Image
Read 16 tweets

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