Bernard Berenson

Date of Birth: June 26, 1865

Zodiac Sign: Cancer

Date of Death: October 6, 1959

Biography

Bernard Berenson was an American art historian, specializing in the Renaissance. Born as Bernhard Valvrojenski in Butrimonys, Vilnius Province, Russian Empire (now Lithuania), he emigrated with his family to the United States in 1875. Berenson attended Boston University and later transferred to Harvard University, where he graduated in 1887. His passion for art led him to Europe, where he studied under some of the finest art historians of the time. Berenson’s expertise in Italian Renaissance art and his ability to attribute paintings were highly regarded. His major works include “The Drawings of the Florentine Painters” (1903), “The Venetian Painters of the Renaissance” (1894), and “Italian Painters of the Renaissance” (1932). He lived much of his life in Italy, primarily at his villa, I Tatti, in Florence, which he bequeathed to Harvard University.

5 Interesting Facts about Bernard Berenson

1. Bernard Berenson was fluent in multiple languages, including Lithuanian, Russian, German, Italian, and English.

2. He changed his name from Bernhard Valvrojenski to Bernard Berenson after his family moved to the United States.

3. Berenson’s villa, I Tatti, became a center for art historical scholarship and is now home to Harvard University’s Center for Italian Renaissance Studies.

4. He was a key advisor to Isabella Stewart Gardner, helping her acquire numerous artworks for her museum in Boston.

5. Berenson’s authentication and expertise were so respected that his opinions could significantly increase the value of a painting.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Bernard Berenson

1. “Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago.”

2. “I would willingly exchange every painting by Correggio for a single Velázquez.”

3. “Life has taught me that it is not for our faults that we are disliked and even hated, but for our qualities.”

4. “I would rather die of passion than of boredom.”

5. “Art is the means we have of undoing the damage of haste. It’s what everything else isn’t.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At the peak of his career, Bernard Berenson’s net worth was estimated to be around $10 million, a significant amount for an art historian of his time.