HARLE, James (Jim) Coffin. Santa Monica, Calif. 5.4.1920 — 27.6.2004. U.S. Art Historian in the U.K. Son of James Wyly Harle and Elfrieda Frances Baumann. Educated at St George’s School in Newport, RI, studies at Princeton (B.A. 1942). In 1942-46 in war service in U.S.N.R., Aviation Branch, retired as Lieutenant. In 1947 Assistant to Dean at Princeton, 1948-49 part-time Instructor in English. A visit to India in 1951 made him interested in ancient Indian art and architecture. In 1953-54 Fulbright Lecturer in Philippines. Then went to the U.K. and renewed studies at Oxford: B.A. 1956 in Sanskrit and Pali, D.Phil. 1959, D.Litt. 1989. From 1960 Assistant Keeper (1962 Senior A. K.) and in 1967-87 Keeper, Department of Eastern Art in Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. Retired in 1987. Married 1. 1949 Jacqueline Thérèse Ruch (divorced 1966, died 1968); 2. 1967 Carola Sybil Mary Fleming (died 1971); 3. 1973 Lady (Betty) Hulbert.
Publications: Temple Gateways in South India. The architecture and iconography of the Chidambaram Gopuras. 202 p. 181 ill. on pl. Oxford 1963, 2nd rev. ed. N.D. 1995.
– Gupta Sculpture. Indian Sculpture of the fourth to the sixth centuries A.D. 70 p. 78 pl. Oxford 1974.
– “Two Images of Agni and Yajñapuruṣa in South India”, JRAS 1962, 1-17, 2 pl. (in Cidambaram & Srirangam); “Durgā, goddess of victory”, Art. As. 26, 1963, 237-246, 4 fig.; “Le temple de Nāganātha à Nagrāl”, Arts as. 19, 1969, 53-83; other articles and reviews.
– With A. Topsfield: Indian art in the Ashmolean Museum. 94 p. ill. Oxford 1987.
– The art and architecture of the Indian subcontinent. 2nd ed. 601 p. 393 ill. L. 1994.
Sources: Personal knowledge 1991/99; Who’s Who 1995; paw.princeton.edu; *Cl. Bautze-Picron (ed.), Makaranda. Essays in honour of J.C.H. 11+243 p. ill. Sri Garib Dass Or. Series 105. Delhi 1990; several short reviews in internet.
Last Updated on 6 hours by Admin
