Archives Directory for the History of Collecting in America

Berenson, Bernard, 1865-1959

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role Scholar/Critic/Expert Collector
dates 1865-1959
city Florence
other citiesBoston, MA; Cambridge, MA; Butrimonys, Lithuania;
countryItaly
sex M
historical notes Berenson was an art historian, critic, collector, and teacher; Florence, Italy. First name often spelled Bernhard.

He was "discovered" by Isabella Stewart Gardner immediately after his graduation from Harvard. As a patron of the fine arts, Gardner financed Berenson's travels in Italy to collect Italian Renaissance art for the Venetian palazzo she re-created in Boston. Berenson bought Villa I Tatti, his home in Florence, before the Second World War. During the war he and his wife and his personal secretary were exiles in the villa for several years. He lived there until his death where upon he bequeathed it to Harvard University.
decades
of activity
1880-1890
1890-1900
1900-1910
1910-1920
1920-1930
1930-1940
1940-1950
1950-1960
updated 02/07/2020 18:20:58
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Archives/Repository Collection Title Collection Details
Biblioteca Berenson, Villa I Tatti
The Harvard University Center for Italian Renaissance Studies
Bernard and Mary Berenson Papers, 1880-2002 (bulk 1880-1959) see details...
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Please see individual record for location
Duveen Brothers Records, 1876-1981, bulk 1909-1964 see details...
The Getty Research Institute
Research Libraries, Archives and Special Collections
Ethel Le Vane Correspondence with Bernard Berenson, 1952-1960. see details...
Houghton Library
Harvard Yard, Harvard University
Sylvia Saunders Sprigge papers, circa 1947-1959. see details...
Houghton Library
Harvard Yard, Harvard University
Letters to Margaret Scolari Barr, 1936-1966. see details...
Houghton Library
Harvard Yard, Harvard University
Berenson Family Papers, 1894-1941. see details...
Archives of American Art
Victor Building, Suite 2200
René Gimpel papers, 1897-1957. see details...
Library of Congress
Manuscript Division
Papers of David E. Finley, 1921-1977.
see details...
Archives of American Art
Victor Building, Suite 2200
Isabella Stewart Gardner letters to Bernard Berenson, 1887-1924. see details...
Houghton Library
Harvard Yard, Harvard University
Additional correspondence, 1950-1953. see details...
The Getty Research Institute
Research Libraries, Archives and Special Collections
Bernard Berenson letters: to Rene Gimpel, 1909-1931. see details...
Archives of American Art
Victor Building, Suite 2200
August Jaccaci papers, 1889-1935 (bulk 1904-1914). see details...
Biblioteca Berenson, Villa I Tatti
The Harvard University Center for Italian Renaissance Studies
Berenson Archive, ca. 1890-present see details...
Biblioteca Berenson, Villa I Tatti
The Harvard University Center for Italian Renaissance Studies
The Fototeca Berenson (Villa I Tatti Photo Archives) see details...
Indiana University
The Lilly Library
Hannah Whitall Smith Papers, 1817-1987. see details...
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Please see individual record for location
Robert Lehman papers, ca. 1880s-1977 see details...

see also:
Berenson, Mary, 1864-1945