Bernard Berenson
Bernard Berenson (born
Bernhard Valvrojenski,
June 26,
1865 –
October 6,
1959), was an
art historian. He was a major figure in establishing the market for paintings by the "
Old Masters".
Berenson was born to a
Jewish family in
Butrimonys (
Vilna),
Lithuania. His father, Albert, emigrated to
Boston from Lithuania with his family in 1875, changing their family name to "Berenson". Berenson graduated from
Harvard University and married a woman named
Mary Smith, who became a notable art historian in her own right. It was Smith's second marriage; she had formerly been the wife of
barrister Frank Costelloe. Bernard Berenson was also involved in a long relationship with
Belle da Costa Greene. His biography "Bernard Berenson: The Making of a Legend," mentions his wife's "reluctant acceptance (at times)" of this relationship.
His great-great-niece,
Marisa Berenson, is an actress. Her sister,
Berry Berenson, was an actress/photographer, and the wife of actor
Anthony Perkins. Berry Berenson died in the
September 11, 2001 attacks.
Berenson was considered to have one of the greatest eyes for
Renaissance art in the world, and a verdict of authenticity from him was worth a fortune in his day. Renaissance paintings had previously been a small part of the art market, given the difficulty of authenticating them. Berenson's work changed this dramatically. In
1931, Berenson was called to give expert witness in the famous case brought by
Andrée Hahn against
Joseph Duveen over the attribution of a version of the
Da Vinci painting
La belle Ferronière, which she planned to sell. Berenson supported Duveen, denying Hahn's attribution of the painting to Da Vinci, but the jury was not convinced by his testimony. They were swayed in part because while under cross-examination, Berenson was unable to recall the medium on which the picture was painted.
Berenson enjoyed a close relationship with Duveen, the period's most influential art dealer, who often relied heavily on Berenson's opinion to complete sales of works to prominent collectors who lacked knowledge of the field. Berenson was quiet and deliberating by nature, which sometimes caused friction between him and the boisterous Duveen. Their relationship ended on bad terms after a dispute over the authenticity of a painting meant for the collection of
Henry C. Frick. Duveen was selling it as a
Giorgione, but Berenson believed it to be an early
Titian.
In recent years it has been discovered that a number of Berenson's attributions were in fact incorrect, and speculation continues as to whether these were deliberate. Berenson often had a considerable financial stake in them.
He published numerous books: "The Art of Florence", "The Art of Venice" and "The Art of Siena" were part of his first book, "The Italian Painters of the Renaissance." He is also the author of "Rumor and Reflection" and "Sunset and Twilight", 2 volumes of journals. He is also the author of "Aesthetics and History" and "Sketch for a Self-portrait. His home in
Florence was named
I Tatti. It is now the Harvard Center for Renaissance Studies which houses his collection of art and of books on art history and
humanism.
*
Free ebook of Bernard Berenson at
Project Gutenberg*S.N. Behrman (1951-52) "Duveen"
*Ernest Samuels (1979)
Bernard Berenson: The Making of a Connoisseur *Ernest Samuels (1987)
Bernard Berenson: The Making of a Legend *Colin Simpson (1986)
Artful Partners: Bernard Berenson and Joseph Duveen *Mary Ann Calo (1994)
Bernard Berenson and the Twentieth Century 
