Born in 1756 – Henry Raeburn, Scottish painter.

Above: The Reverend Robert Walker Skating on Duddingston Loch, better known as The Skating Minister.

On this day in 1938,  Standard Oil of California  (later renamed Chevron) discovered oil in Saudi Arabia.

In 1962 – Wilt Chamberlain set the single-game scoring record in the National Basketball Association by scoring 100 points.

Born in 1957 – John Turturro, American actor, director, and screenwriter.

Above: Turturro as Bernie Bernbaum in Miller’s Crossing.

Born in 1831 – Nikolai Ge, Russian painter.

Above: Maria, sister of Lazarus, meets Jesus who is going to their house (1864)

Born in 1943 – Dante Ferretti, Italian art director and costume designer for films such as Hugo, The Age of Innocence, and pictured above, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen.

Born in 1949 – Jack Handey, American humorist.

Today is Dragobete, the traditional Romanian holiday. Dragobete was the son of Baba Dochia, the main character in the pagan myth related to the end of winter

 and the arrival of spring. It is known as “the day when the birds are betrothed”.

In 532 – Byzantine emperor Justinian I ordered the construction of a basilica in Constantinople, the Hagia Sophia.

Born in 1900 – Luis Buñuel, Spanish director and producer.

Above: The opening scene of Un Chien Andalou.