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Fogg Art Museum Scrapbooks, January 1950-April 1951

ARCH.2003.31, Rendition: 804225

Qwen, qwen.qwen3-vl-235b-a22b

This image displays a clipped newspaper article, likely from the Providence Journal, dated June 9, 1950, as stamped on the top portion of the clipping. The article is titled:

BYZANTINE PERIOD EXPERT DIES AT 79

And subtitled:

Thomas Whittemore Received Honorary Brown Degree Last Monday

The article reports the sudden death in Washington, D.C., of Thomas Whittemore (age 78 at the time of death, though the headline states 79 — possibly a typographical error), a noted Harvard authority on Byzantine art. He had received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Brown University the previous Monday.

Key details from the article:

  • Whittemore was traveling to meet with John Foster Dulles, then a Republican foreign affairs adviser, likely to discuss the work of the Byzantine Institute in Turkey, particularly the uncovering of the Aya Sofya mosaics in Istanbul.
  • The U.S. State Department issued a statement praising Whittemore for his role in supporting Turkish government efforts since 1932 to uncover these treasures, noting his contributions to knowledge of Byzantine artistic developments.
  • He was born in Cambridge, Mass., on January 2, 1871, earned his A.B. from Tufts College in 1894, and studied at Harvard Graduate School and Oxford University.
  • He taught English and fine arts at Tufts and New York University.
  • He was a fellow of the Royal Geographic Society, a research fellow in Byzantine art at Harvard, and a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.
  • He served as director of the Byzantine Institute in Boston and keeper of the Fogg Museum at Harvard University.
  • He was unmarried.
  • As director of the Byzantine Institute, he spent 14 years with associates in Istanbul, carefully chipping plaster from the walls of the former Santa Sophia Church to reveal ancient, hidden Christian mosaics.

The clipping itself appears to be from the New England Newsclip Agency, Inc., as noted in the top left corner, with addresses in Boston and HAncock, R.I. The article is printed on yellowed newsprint and has been slightly folded or creased. The headline is in a large, bold serif font, while the body text is in a smaller column. The clipping is mounted or taped to a plain gray surface.

In summary, this is an obituary and tribute to Thomas Whittemore, celebrating his significant contributions to Byzantine art and archaeology, particularly the restoration of the Hagia Sophia’s mosaics.

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

The image shows a newspaper clipping from the "New England Newsclip Agency, Inc." dated June 9, 1950. The header indicates the source as "Journal (m)" from Providence, R.I., with an independent circulation of 45,527. The main headline reads:

"BYZANTINE PERIOD EXPERT DIES AT 79"

The subheading announces that Thomas Whittemore, a prominent authority on Byzantine art, received an honorary Brown Degree last Monday. The article provides details about Dr. Thomas Whittemore, noting his contributions to the field of Byzantine art, his work with the Byzantine Institute, and his achievements in uncovering the mosaics in Istanbul. It mentions his appointments, his early life, and his various affiliations, detailing his lifelong dedication to the study and preservation of Byzantine art. The article also notes that he was a key figure in bringing hidden mosaics to light during his work in Istanbul.

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

This is a newspaper clipping from the "Journal (m)" of Providence, Rhode Island, dated June 9, 1950. The headline reads "BYZANTINE PERIOD EXPERT DIES AT 79." The article is about Thomas Whittemore, a noted Harvard authority on Byzantine art, who passed away at the age of 79 in Washington, D.C.

The article mentions that Whittemore was honored by Brown University with the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters last Monday. He was on his way to an appointment with John Foster Dulles, a Republican foreign affairs adviser, when he died. The appointment was likely to discuss the work of the Byzantine Institute in Turkey.

The State Department issued a statement praising Whittemore's work in uncovering the Aya Sofya mosaics in Istanbul, stating that his achievements have contributed greatly to the knowledge of the artistic developments of the Byzantine period.

Whittemore was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1871 and received his A.B. degree from Tufts College in 1894. He studied at Harvard Graduate School and Oxford University and taught English and fine arts at Tufts and New York University. He was a fellow of the Royal Geographic Society and the Society of Antiquaries and was director of the Byzantine Institute in Boston. He was unmarried.

The article concludes by noting that as director of the Byzantine Institute, Whittemore spent 14 years in Istanbul working on the ancient Santa Sophia Church, uncovering hidden mosaic Christian murals.

Amazon, amazon.nova-pro-v1:0

The image shows a clipping of a newspaper article from the New England Newsclip Agency, Inc. The clipping is dated June 9, 1950, and is from the Providence Journal. The article is about the death of Thomas Whittemore, an expert on Byzantine art and architecture, who passed away at the age of 79.

Whittemore was a Harvard authority on Byzantine art and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree by Brown University. He was known for his work on the Byzantine Institute and his contributions to the study of Byzantine art and architecture.

The article highlights Whittemore's achievements, including his work on the restoration of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul and his research on Byzantine mosaics and coins. It also mentions his collaboration with the State Department and his appointment as an advisor to the Turkish government.

Overall, the clipping provides a glimpse into the life and work of Thomas Whittemore, a prominent figure in the field of Byzantine studies.

Amazon, amazon.nova-lite-v1:0

The image shows a newspaper clipping from the Providence Journal, dated June 9, 1950. The clipping features an article titled "BYZANTINE PERIOD EXPERT DIES AT 79" about the death of Thomas Whittemore, a renowned authority on Byzantine art. Whittemore was honored by Harvard University with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. The article details his contributions to the field, including his work with the State Department and the Byzantine Institute, and his role in uncovering important Byzantine artifacts.

Amazon, us.amazon.nova-2-lite-v1:0

The image shows a scanned newspaper clipping from the Providence Journal (m), dated June 9, 1950, published by the New England Newsclip Agency, Inc. The article is titled "BYZANTINE PERIOD EXPERT DIES AT 79" and reports on the death of Thomas Whittemore, a noted authority on Byzantine art who was 79 years old at the time of his passing.

Key Details from the Article:

  1. Death and Honors:

    • Whittemore died suddenly on Monday after receiving an honorary degree from Brown University in Washington, D.C.
    • He was described as a leading expert on Byzantine art.
  2. Professional Background:

    • Whittemore was on his way to an appointment with John Foster Dulles, a Republican foreign affairs adviser and later Secretary of State, at the State Department.
    • He had made an appointment with Dulles Associates to discuss his work on the Byzantine Institute in Turkey.
  3. Contributions to Byzantine Art:

    • Whittemore was recognized for his significant contributions to the study of Byzantine art and architecture.
    • He had been involved in important work since 1932, particularly in uncovering the Aya Sofya mosaics in Istanbul.
    • His work helped uncover achievements in Byzantine art, including mosaics and other artistic developments of the period.
  4. Education and Career:

    • Born in Cambridge, Mass., Jan. 2, 1871, Whittemore attended Tufts College (A.B., 1894) and later studied at the Harvard Graduate School and Oxford and New York Universities.
    • He taught English and fine arts at Tufts and New York University.
    • He was a fellow of the Royal Geographic Society, a fellow of the American Academy in Archaeology in Byzantine Art at Harvard, and a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.
  5. Byzantine Institute:

    • Whittemore served as the director of the Byzantine Institute in Boston and was the keeper of the Byzantine coins and seals at the Fogg Art Museum at Harvard University.
    • During his time with the institute, he spent 14 years in Istanbul, where he chipped plaster from the walls of the ancient Santa Sophia Church, uncovering thousands of years of history depicted in hidden mosaic Christian murals.

Visual Elements:

  • The article is presented in a clean, typed format typical of mid-20th-century newspapers.
  • The headline is prominently displayed at the top, emphasizing the significance of Whittemore's death.
  • The text is organized into paragraphs, providing a structured narrative of his life, achievements, and contributions to Byzantine studies.

This clipping serves as a historical record of Whittemore's legacy in the field of Byzantine art and architecture.

OpenAI, gpt-4

This image displays a newspaper clipping from the "New England Newsclip Agency, Inc." regarding an individual associated with Byzantine art. The article headline reads "BYZANTINE PERIOD EXPERT DIES AT 79," and it's dated June 9, 1950, from a newspaper called "Journal (m)" in Providence, R.I., labeled "Independent" with a circulation of 45,527.

The clipping mentions Thomas Whittemore, a 79-year-old expert in Byzantine art and Harvard authority, who had recently received an honorary degree from Brown University. It notes Whittemore's sudden passing and highlights his scheduled meeting with John Foster Dulles, his significant contribution to art history through his work with the Byzantine Institute in Turkey, and his involvement in uncovering the Aya Sofya mosaics in Istanbul.

Further details include his academic background, his association with various institutions such as Tufts College, Harvard Graduate School, Oxford University, and the Fogg Museum at Harvard University. It also underscores his unmarried status and his long tenure as the director of the Byzantine Institute, particularly his work on the Christian murals of the Santa Sophia Church in Istanbul.

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

This image shows a clipped newspaper obituary titled "BYZANTINE PERIOD EXPERT DIES AT 79" from "New England Newsclip Agency, Inc." dated June 9, 1950. The obituary announces the death of Thomas Whittemore, a noted expert on Byzantine art, who died suddenly in Washington, D.C. He had recently received an honorary degree from Brown University.

The article details Whittemore's contributions, including his work with the Byzantine Institute and the Turkish government to uncover mosaics in Istanbul's Aya Sofya. It outlines his education, including degrees from Tufts College, Harvard Graduate School, and Oxford University, and his teaching roles at Tufts and New York University.

Whittemore was a fellow of several societies including the Royal Geographic Society and the Society of Antiquaries. He was director of the Byzantine Institute in Boston and keeper of Byzantine coins and seals at the Fogg Museum at Harvard University. The obituary notes he was unmarried.

It also highlights his 14 years of work with associates in Istanbul, where they uncovered ancient Christian mosaics from the walls of the Santa Sophia Church, revealing a thousand years of history.

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

This image is a newspaper clipping specifically focusing on the death of Byzantine art expert Thomas Whittemore at age 79. It is dated June 9, 1950, and originates from a publication affiliated with the "Journal (m)" in Providence, R.I.

The headline reads, "Byzantine Period Expert Dies At 79." The text outlines Thomas Whittemore's accomplishments, including his honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Brown University on the preceding Monday before his death. It notes that Whittemore passed away suddenly in Washington, D.C., and describes his significant contributions to the field of Byzantine art, particularly his work with the Turkish government since 1932 in uncovering the mosaics of the Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofia) in Istanbul.

Whittemore was born in Cambridge, Mass., on January 2, 1871, obtained his A.B. from Tufts College in 1894, and pursued further education at Harvard and Oxford University. He held roles as a fellow of esteemed societies, was the director of the Byzantine Institute in Boston, and worked to preserve Byzantine art. He was unmarried and spent 14 years revealing hidden Christian murals at the Hagia Sophia.

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

  • A vertical arrangement of two vintage newspaper clippings pasted to a light gray background.
  • Top clipping: cream-colored, small notice from New England Newsclip Agency with Providence, R.I. newspaper details and a stamp-like date reading JUN 9 1950.
  • Bottom clipping: a larger tan/golden-brown article with a bold headline: “BYZANTINE PERIOD EXPERT DIES AT 79.” Subheadline notes that Thomas Whittemore received an honorary Brown degree last Monday.
  • The long article beneath describes Thomas Whittemore’s life, his work on Byzantine art, and his credentials.
  • The bottom edge of the lower clipping has a small red mark; the two pieces overlap, giving a scrapbook/archival feel.