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Fogg Art Museum Scrapbooks, January 1950-April 1951

ARCH.2003.31, Rendition: 804193

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This image displays a vintage newspaper clipping from the Boston News Clip, dated June 9, 1950.

The clipping is a death notice for Dr. Thomas Whittemore, who died at the age of 79. He was a professor at Harvard University, director of the Byzantine Institute at Harvard, and a noted archaeologist and scholar of Byzantine art and mosaics.

The article details his life and accomplishments:

  • He was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1871 and graduated from Tufts College in 1894.
  • He specialized in Byzantine art and was known for his work on uncovering and restoring ancient mosaics, particularly in Istanbul (then Constantinople), including those in the Museums of St. Sophia and St. Saviour in Chora, which had been hidden under plaster for centuries.
  • He played a key role in arranging for the preservation of the United States Navy's ravel on high priority for military aircraft during World War II.
  • He served as an officer with the French Red Cross in Russia after the 1917 revolution.
  • He was the founder of the Byzantine Institute of America and the American representative on the Royal Exploration Fund in London.
  • He was a member of several prestigious societies, including the Society of Antiquaries in London and the Century Club.

The clipping includes a black and white portrait photograph, credited to the Herald Tribune, showing Dr. Whittemore wearing a dark suit, a high-collared shirt, and a bowler hat. He is looking slightly to his left with a serious expression.

The entire clipping is mounted on a piece of cardstock, which also has the newspaper's contact information printed on it:

  • BOSTON NEWS CLIP
  • 180 Tremont Street, Boston 8, Mass.
  • Herald Tribune, New York, N.Y.

The date "JUN 9 1950" is stamped in red ink in the upper left corner. The clipping appears to be an archived or preserved piece of historical memorabilia.

Qwen, Qwen/Qwen2.5-VL-7B-Instruct

The image is a newspaper clipping from the Herald Tribune, dated June 9, 1950. It is titled "Dr. Thomas Whittemore Dead; Professor at Harvard Was 79". The article discusses the death of Professor Thomas Whittemore, who was a renowned archaeologist known for his work uncovering mosaics in Istanbul, Turkey. Specifically, the article mentions that he uncovered mosaics in the Mosque of St. Sophia in 1932. The clipping also includes a photograph of Professor Thomas Whittemore, wearing a suit and hat. The document is labeled "Boston News Clip" with an address in Boston, Massachusetts. The article provides details about Professor Whittemore's life, his work at Harvard University and the Byzantine Institute, and his contributions to the field of archaeology.

Qwen, Qwen/Qwen2.5-VL-72B-Instruct

This image is a newspaper clipping from the Herald Tribune, dated June 9, 1950. The headline reads, "Dr. Thomas Whittemore Dead; Professor at Harvard Was 79." The article is an obituary for Dr. Thomas Whittemore, a professor at Harvard University and director of the Byzantine Institute at Istanbul, Turkey. It details his death, which occurred on June 8, 1950, while he was visiting the State Department in Washington, D.C.

The article mentions that Dr. Whittemore was known for his work in uncovering the vast expanse of mosaics in the Mosque of St. Sophia at Istanbul, which had been hidden for almost 500 years. It also provides a brief biography of Dr. Whittemore, mentioning his birth in Cambridge, Massachusetts, his education at Tufts College and Harvard, and his various roles and achievements throughout his life.

There is a photograph of Dr. Thomas Whittemore in the upper right corner of the clipping, showing him wearing a suit and tie. The clipping is taped to a piece of paper with the text "BOSTON NEWS CLIP 120 Tremont Street Boston 8, Mass." at the top.

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The image shows a newspaper clipping, which is a portion of a newspaper page that has been cut out. The clipping is from the Boston News Clip, Herald Tribune, New York, N.Y., dated June 9, 1950. The clipping features an article about Dr. Thomas Whittemore, who was a professor at Harvard University and passed away at the age of 79. The article also includes a photograph of Dr. Whittemore wearing a hat and a tie. The clipping has been folded in half, and the edges are slightly torn.

Amazon, amazon.nova-lite-v1:0

The image shows a newspaper clipping from the Boston Herald Tribune, dated June 9, 1950. The clipping is about the death of Dr. Thomas Whittemore, a professor at Harvard University who was 79 years old. The clipping includes a photograph of Dr. Whittemore wearing a hat and a tie. The article mentions that Dr. Whittemore had stopped to chat with officials in the office of the American Embassy in Istanbul, Turkey, and professor at Harvard University, where he seemed in excellent health and talked about plans to return to the United States. He was later found dead in the office of John Foster Dulles, but a doctor arrived within minutes and pronounced him dead when he failed to find any pulse. The article also mentions that Dr. Whittemore was known principally for his work on mosaics, which he had uncovered in Istanbul, principally in the Mosque of St. Sophia at Istanbul, which today measures 650 by 340 feet and is 180 feet high. The article also mentions that Dr. Whittemore had uncovered many colored marbles and gold, and so pieced together as to cover a solid surface even as to thin domes and archways. These national monuments are now one of the most wonderful sights in the Eastern World.

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The image shows a black-and-white photograph of a newspaper clipping from the Boston News Clip, dated June 9, 1950, from the Herald Tribune in New York, N.Y. The headline reads:

"Dr. Thomas Whittemore Dead; Professor at Harvard Was 79"

Key Details from the Image:

  1. Headline and Subheading:

    • The main headline announces the death of Dr. Thomas Whittemore, a professor at Harvard, at the age of 79.
    • A subheading states: "Uncovered Istanbul's Old Mosques in Byzantine Era."
  2. Photograph:

    • To the right of the text, there is a black-and-white photograph of Dr. Thomas Whittemore. He is wearing a suit and tie, with a serious expression. The photo is labeled at the bottom right corner as "Thomas Whittemore".
  3. Article Content:

    • The article provides details about Dr. Whittemore’s life, career, and contributions:
      • He was a professor at Harvard University, specializing in art history and Byzantine studies.
      • He was known for his work in uncovering and documenting Byzantine-era mosaics in Istanbul, Turkey.
      • He had a long career, including roles as a lecturer, consultant, and expert in art and archaeology.
      • He was born in 1871 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and had a distinguished academic and professional background, including work with the American Academy in Rome and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
      • The article mentions his marriage, children, and various affiliations, such as the American Institute of Architects and the Byzantine Institute of America.
      • It also notes his passing and provides details about his funeral arrangements.
  4. Visual Layout:

    • The clipping is presented in a standard newspaper format, with the headline at the top, followed by a subheading and a brief summary of the story.
    • The photograph is placed to the right, aligned with the text, and is labeled with the subject’s name.
  5. Additional Text:

    • At the very top of the clipping, there is a header indicating the source: "BOSTON NEWS CLIP" and "150 Tremont Street, Boston, Mass."
    • The date and newspaper name are also clearly visible at the top: "Herald Tribune, New York, N.Y., JUN 9 1950."

Overall Impression:

The image captures a historical news article commemorating the life and achievements of Dr. Thomas Whittemore, highlighting his significant contributions to the fields of art history and archaeology, particularly his work in uncovering Byzantine mosaics in Istanbul. The photograph and accompanying text provide a glimpse into his professional legacy and personal background.

OpenAI, gpt-4o-2024-11-20

This image depicts an old newspaper clipping reporting on the death of Dr. Thomas Whittemore, a professor at Harvard University, dated June 9, 1950. The clipping is labeled with a header noting the source as the "Herald Tribune" and originating from "Boston News Clip." It contains a portrait photo of Dr. Whittemore (blurred here) and an article outlining his contributions and biography.

The article mentions:

  • Dr. Whittemore passed away at the age of 79.
  • He was celebrated for uncovering ancient mosaics in Istanbul's Hagia Sophia in 1932 and leading the Byzantine Institute of America.
  • His significant work in archaeology and art, including his research on Byzantine mosaics hidden for centuries under plaster.
  • Biographical details such as his birth in Cambridge, Massachusetts, education, and his contributions to fields related to history, archaeology, and art.

The piece highlights his recognition by the Turkish government and his affiliations with several reputable institutions and clubs, including Harvard's Fogg Museum.

OpenAI, gpt-4

This image is a photograph of a newspaper clipping. The headline indicates that it's from the "Boston News Clip", with the address of 120 Tremont Street, Boston 8, Mass., citing the "Herald Tribune New York, N.Y." The date stamped on the paper is "Jun 9 1950."

The article is an obituary for Dr. Thomas Whittemore, who is described as a professor at Harvard University and someone who was renowned for uncovering Istanbul's old mosaics in 1932, as well as heading its Byzantine Institute. The obituary details Dr. Whittemore's achievements, his work in the Byzantine Institute of America, and his notable contributions to archaeology, such as uncovering hidden frescoes in two Coptic monasteries near the Red Sea in Egypt. It also mentions his educational background and affiliations with various learned societies and clubs.

Additional information about Dr. Whittemore's life, travels, and scholarly work is included in the text, offering a rich narrative of his contributions to his field and his global engagements, particularly his role during the First World War and his support for Russian refugees.

OpenAI, gpt-4.1-mini-2025-04-14

The image shows a newspaper clipping dated June 9, 1950, from the Boston News Clip with the headline: "Dr. Thomas Whittemore Dead; Professor at Harvard Was 79".

The article reports the death of Dr. Thomas Whittemore, a professor at Harvard University and director of the Byzantine Institute in Istanbul, Turkey. He died on June 8, 1950, while visiting the State Department in Washington. Whittemore was seventy-nine years old.

The article highlights his contributions, especially his work uncovering Byzantine mosaics in Istanbul's Hagia Sophia, which were hidden under plaster for nearly 500 years due to religious reasons. Whittemore had obtained permission in 1932 from Turkish dictator Kemal Ataturk to uncover these mosaics, considered one of the great wonders of the Eastern world.

A brief biography is included, noting Whittemore was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, graduated from Tufts College, and specialized in Byzantine art at Harvard and Oxford. He was known in artistic, financial, and diplomatic circles and had served with the French Red Cross during World War I. He also founded the Byzantine Institute of America and worked in Egypt uncovering frescoes in the 1930s.

Whittemore had been keeper of Byzantine coins and seals at the Fogg Museum at Harvard and was a member of various societies and clubs in London, New York, and Boston. The article also includes a photograph of Professor Thomas Whittemore wearing a hat and tie.

An address for Whittemore's American office is noted as Room 712, 199 Washington Street, Boston.

OpenAI, gpt-5-nano-2025-08-07

The image is a collage of two vintage newspaper clippings mounted on a light gray background.

  • A small top clip labeled “BOSTON NEWS CLIP” with an address and a date stamp reading June 9, 1950 (Herald Tribune, New York).
  • A larger obituaries piece below with the bold headline: “Dr. Thomas Whittemore Dead; Professor at Harvard Was 79.” It includes a black-and-white photo of a man in a suit and hat, whose face has been covered with a gray square.

The article text describes Whittemore as an archaeologist and director of the Byzantine Institute, noting his work uncovering mosaics in Istanbul and his roles with the Byzantine Institute of America and related organizations.