BLOCHET, Gabriel Joseph Edgar. Bourges (Cher) 12.12.1870 — Paris 5.9.1937. French Oriental (Arabic and Iranian) Scholar and Historian of Religions. Son of a cavalry officer. After studies in Paris (i.al. ancient Iranian under Darmesteter at É.P.H.É. and Arabic (diploma), Persian, Turkish and Urdu at É.L.O.V.), from 1895 Assistant, then Librarian…
BIRDWOOD, George Christopher Molesworth. Belgaum, India 8.12.1832 — Ealing, London 28.6.1917. Sir. British Physician and Botanist in India interested in Science and in Colonial History. Son of General Christopher Birdwood (1807–1882) of Indian Army and Lydia Juliana Taylor. The family came from Plymouth, and he was educated at Plymouth Grammar…
BINYON, Laurence Robert. Lancaster 10.8.1869 — Reading, Berkshire 10.3.1943. British Art Historian, Dramatist and Poet. Son of Frederick Binyon, a clergyman, and Mary Dockray. Educated at St.Paul’s School in London, studied classics at Trinity College, Oxford (graduated 1893). From 1893 worked in Printed Books Dept. of British Museum, in 1915-33…
BERNET KEMPERS, August Johan. ’s-Hertogenbosch 7.10.1906 — Arnhem 2.5.1992. Dutch Art Historian and South-East Asian Scholar, long time in Indonesia. Son of Karel Jan Willem Bernet Kempers, a notary, and Anna den Doesschate. After school in Middelburg studies of Indo-Iranian and Indonesian from 1926 at Leiden, Ph.D. 1933 (under Krom).…
BÉNISTI (Monié-Bénisti, also Bénisti-Monié, née Sarfati), Mireille. Algier 10.10.1909 — 11.12. 1993. French Art Historian (Buddhist and Khmer Art). Born in Algeria came early to Paris. Suffered of ill health, but in November 1943 she joined the Comité Français de la Liberation Nationale in Algier, and worked after the war…
BAZIN-FOUCHER, Émile Eugénie Marguerite Virginie (“Éna”). Chesnay (Yvelines) 7.10.1889 — 30.1.1952. French Art Historian. Originally studied English at Sorbonne, then 1915-18 Indology at E.P.H.E. under S. Lévi. She married —> A. Foucher (1865–1952) in 1919 in Colombo, on way to India. Some say that she had apparently met him at…
BAKTAY, Ervin (Erwin, to 1925 Baktay-Gottesmann). Dunaharaszti 24.6.1890 — Budapest 7.5.1963 (when 73). Hungarian Art Historian. Son of Raoul Gottesmann (d. 1905) and Antonia Levys-Martinfalvy. Originally intended to become a painter, he studied in Munich under Simon Hollósy, whose brother Joszef was one of the first in Hungary to be…
BACHHOFER, Ludwig. Munich 30.6.1894 — Carmel, CA ?.3.1976. German Art Historian in the U.S.A. Professor in Chicago. From 1916 studies at Munich, soon interrupted by war service and continued in 1918. Ph.D. 1921, then further studies of ethnography under Scherman. In 1927-35 PD at Munich. The nomination as ao. Professor…
AUBOYER, Jeannine. Paris 6.9.1912 — Sèvres near Paris 6.2.1990. French Indologist (Art Historian). Conservator and Professor in Paris. Daughter of auctioneer Jean Auboyer (1881–1958), studies in Paris mainly at É.P.H.É. (under Pelliot, Przyluski and Mus) and École du Louvre 1929-34 (Hackin, Grousset and Stern), also at Inst. de l’Art et…
ARCHER, William George (“Bill”). 11.2.1907 — Islington, London 6.3.1979. British Ethnologist and Art Historian of India. In India 1931-48, then in Victoria and Albert Museum. Son of William Archer, educated at Strand School. Studied history at Cambridge (Emmanuel College) and aspired for a good position in Whitehall, but poor success…