Clark, Kenneth Mackenzie Clark, Baron

Clark, Kenneth Mackenzie Clark, Baron

▪ British art historian
also called  (1938–69) Sir Kenneth Clark  
born July 10, 1903, London, Eng.
died May 21, 1983, Hythe, Kent

      British art historian who was a leading authority on Italian Renaissance art.

      Clark was born to an affluent family. He was educated at Winchester and Trinity colleges, Oxford, but his education really began when he spent two years in Florence studying under Bernard Berenson, considered the foremost art critic of his time.

      Clark returned to England and for most of his life engaged in both academic research and public service. He served as director of the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford (1931–34) and then as director of the National Gallery, London (1934–45). In 1934 he was also appointed surveyor of the King's Pictures. From 1953 to 1960 he was chairman of the Arts Council of Great Britain, and from 1954 to 1957 he also served as the first chairman of the Independent Television Authority, which impressed upon him the potential of the mass media for exposing the general public to great art. He was Slade professor of fine art at Oxford (1946–50, 1961–62).

      Clark had already established himself as an elegant, accomplished writer and lecturer on a range of artistic and cultural subjects when he wrote and narrated a series, Civilisation, for BBC television in 1969. This series, a sweeping panorama of European art from the Dark Ages to the 20th century, made Clark internationally known. While the series demonstrated Clark's erudition, enthusiasm, and talent as a communicator, it was criticized by some art historians for its rather facile treatment of the subject.

      Clark wrote a number of books on art. His first work was The Gothic Revival (1928). In 1935 he wrote a monograph on Leonardo da Vinci's drawings that, as Leonardo da Vinci (1939), is generally considered his most scholarly and penetrating work. His Landscape into Art (1949) and The Nude (1955) were critically well received and did much to encourage popular appreciation of painting. He wrote Civilisation (1969) as a companion to and summation of his television series. He also published two volumes of autobiography, Another Part of the Wood (1974) and The Other Half (1977).

      Clark was made a Knight Commander of the Bath (1938), a Companion of Honour (1959), and in 1969 a life peer. He received the Order of Merit in 1976.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Clark (of Saltwood), Kenneth (Mackenzie) Clark, Baron — born July 13, 1903, London, Eng. died May 21, 1983, Hythe British art historian and administrator. Born to a wealthy family, he studied at the University of Oxford. After two years of study with Bernard Berenson in Florence, he served as keeper… …   Universalium

  • Clark, Kenneth (Mackenzie), barón — (13 jul. 1903, Londres, Inglaterra–21 may. 1983, Hythe). Historiador y administrador de arte de nacionalidad británica. Nacido en el seno de una familia adinerada, estudió en la Universidad de Oxford. Luego de estudiar durante dos años con… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Kenneth Clark — Kenneth McKenzie Clark, Baron Clark, OM, CH, KCB, FBA (July 13, 1903 ndash; May 21, 1983) was an English author, museum director, broadcaster, and one of the most famous art historians of his generation. In 1969, he was catapulted to… …   Wikipedia

  • Kenneth Clark — Kenneth McKenzie Clark, (* 13. Juli 1903 in London; † 21. Mai 1983 in Hythe, Kent) war ein britischer Kunsthistoriker, Museumsdirektor und Autor. In Großbritannien gehörte Clark durch die Fernsehserie Serie Civilisation, die er für die BBC… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Mackenzie — Mackenzie, montes ► Río del NO de Canadá. Desemboca en el océano Glacial Ártico, por el mar de Beaufort; 4 241 km. * * * (as used in expressions) Clark, Kenneth (Mackenzie), barón King, W(illiam) L(yon) Mackenzie Mackenzie, Alexander Mackenzie,… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Clark — Clark, Alvan Clark, John Maurice Clark, Mark Wayne * * * (as used in expressions) Clark Fork, río Clark, Champ James Beauchamp Clark Clark, Dick Richard Wagstaff Clark Clark, George Rogers …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Mackenzie — /meuh ken zee/, n. 1. Sir Alexander, 1764 1820, Scottish explorer in Canada. 2. Alexander, 1822 92, Canadian statesman, born in Scotland: prime minister 1873 78. 3. William Lyon, 1795 1861, Canadian political leader and journalist, born in… …   Universalium

  • baron — /bar euhn/, n. 1. a member of the lowest grade of nobility. 2. (in Britain) a. a feudal vassal holding his lands under a direct grant from the king. b. a direct descendant of such a vassal or his equal in the nobility. c. a member of the House of …   Universalium

  • Baron — /bann rddawonn /, n. Michel /mee shel /, (Michel Boyron), 1653 1729, French actor. * * * I Title of nobility, ranking in modern times immediately below a viscount or a count (in countries without viscounts). The wife of a baron is a baroness.… …   Universalium

  • Kenneth — /ken ith/, n. a male given name: from an Irish word meaning handsome. * * * (as used in expressions) Arrow Kenneth Joseph Burns Kenneth Lauren Clark of Saltwood Kenneth Mackenzie Clark Baron Galbraith John Kenneth Grahame Kenneth Hines Earl… …   Universalium

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