John Bass was an art collector and businessman (President of the Fajardo Sugar Company of Puerto Rico, Director of the Fajardo Development Company and employed by the L. W. & P Armstrong Company of New York).
He and his wife, Johanna (1901–1970, m. 1921), collected works of art by both contemporary and old master artists.
In 1963 they gave the bulk of their collection to the City of Miami Beach (Bass Art Museum), Hunter College and Finch College.
