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Bernard V. Bothmer: a man of honour

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 June 2016

Diane Bergman*
Affiliation:
Sackler Library, Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, 1 St John Street, Oxford OX1 2LG, UK
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Abstract

Bernard V. Bothmer left his mark on the world of Egyptology in three of the United States’ great art institutions: the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Brooklyn Museum and the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University. He created gallery displays, developed library collections and founded image collections that continue to influence scholars worldwide. One can wonder how the course of American Egyptology would have developed if circumstances had not driven him out of his native Germany. Despite hardship, fear and a career interrupted, he trained and profoundly influenced at least four generations of historians of Egyptian art. BVB, as he was affectionately known to those close to him, inspired all who worked with him to the highest level of achievement, a standard which came to be known as “Brooklyn Quality”.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Art Libraries Society 2013

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