BOSCH, Frederik David Kan. Potchefstroom, Transvaal 17.6.1887 — Leiden 20.7.1968. Dutch Indologist and Indonesian Scholar. Professor in Leiden. Born in South Africa, son of Hendrik B. and Judith Kan (d. 1889), after his mother’s death came to live with his two aunts in Amsterdam and went to school there. He lost his father and brother in the Boer war. Studied Dutch and Sanskrit at Leiden under Speyer and Uhlenbeck. Ph.D. 1914 Leiden (supervised, after Speyer’s death, by Vogel). In 1914 nominated adjunct oudheidkundige in the Oudheidkund. Dienst in Netherlands’ Indies under Krom, 1916-36 director (hoofd) of the same. Then retired and returned to the Netherlands. In 1938-45 eo. Professor (bijzond. hoogl.) for Archeologie & Oude Geschiedenis van Nederlands Indie at Utrecht University. From 1945 Professor of Arch. en Oude Gesch. van Z.O. Azië at Leiden (again succeeding Krom). Retired in 1957. From 1946 Member of Ned. Akad. Wetensch. Married 1914 Ans H. Gregoor.
Bosch was interested in religion, archaeology and art history of India, Indonesia and South-East Asia. In Java he worked for preservation of Borobudur. For Indology his most remarkable achievement is the Golden Germ. Among his students were Eggermont and P. H. Pott.
Publications: Diss. De Legende van Jīmūtavāhana in de Sanskrit-Litteratuur. 216 p. Ld. 1914.
– De Gouden Kiem. 19+310 p. 72 pl. Amsterdam 1948, English tr. The Golden Germ. An Introduction to Indian Symbolism. 264 p. 84 pl. Indo-Iranian Monogr. 2. ’s-Gravenhage 1960.
– “Remarques sur les influences réciproques de l’iconographie et de la mythologie indiennes”, Arts as. 3, 1956, 22-47; numerous other articles on South Asian and especially on Indonesian questions.
– Selected Studies in Indonesian Archaeology. Transl. into English. 203 p. 20 pl. the Hague 1961.
Sources: Wie is dat? 1956; Hiraṇyagarbha (F.D.K.B. Volume). the Hague 1964, with short life (9-11) and articles about his work; *Kuiper, Jaarboek KNAW 1967/68, 338-345, with photo; *P.H. Pott, BTLV 123, 1967, 409-426; long article in Dutch Wikipedia; Kern Inst. Web Biobibliography with full bibliography and further references to biographical sources; photo in Gonda, Indology in the Netherlands. 1964, a drawing in the Fs. 1964.
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