SOPER, Alexander Coburn, III. Chicago 18.2.1904 — Rosemont, PA 12/13.1.1993. U.S. Art Historian. Son of Alexander Coburn Soper Jr. (1872–1930) and Bertha G. Dunlop (1876–1952). Graduated B.A. 1925 from Hamilton College and studied architecture at Princeton (M.A. 1929). In 1935-38 living in Japan studying local art and architecture. Ph.D. 1944 in Art History, Princeton. War service in Marine Corps as specialist of Japanese. From 1946 taught at Bryn Mawr (1948 full Professor) and from 1960 Professor at Institute of Fine Arts in New York, until retirement in the 1980s. Married 1929 Suzanne Townley Smyth (1906–1986), one daughter and one son.
Publications: The Evolution of Buddhist Architecture in Japan. 330 p. 211 ill. Princeton 1942; other works on East Asian art.
– “Aspects of Light Symbolism in Gandhāran Sculpture”, Art. As. 12, 1949, 252-283; “The Roman Style in Gandhara”, AJA 55, 1951, 301-319; a number of further articles and reviews in Art. As.
– Literary Evidence for Early Buddhist Art in China. 12+296 p. Art. As. Suppl. 1959.
– “Recent studies involving the date of Kaniṣka”, Art. As. 33, 1971, 339-350 & 34, 1972, 102-113.
– Editor-in-chief of Artibus Asiae 1958-93 (including Suppl. Vols. 19-37).
Sources: Milo C. Beach, Art. As. 52:3-4, 1992, 2 unnumbered pages, with photo; briefly in Art. As. 55, 1995, 14f. with photo; prabook.com; findagrave.com; Wikipedia with small photo.
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