Robert Witt
Who was Robert Witt?
British art historian and art collector (1872-1952)
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Robert Witt (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Sir Robert Clermont Witt (16 January 1872 – 26 March 1952) was a British art historian, solicitor, and art collector. He is best known for co-founding the Courtauld Institute of Art in London and creating one of the world's largest collections of art reproductions. Born in Camberwell, south London, to German parents — Gustavus Andreas Witt, a Hamburg-born merchant, and Friederike Helene Von Clermont of Frankfurt — Witt grew up with a mix of European and British cultures. He was educated at Clifton College and studied history at New College, Oxford, which shaped his interest in history.
Before starting his career, Witt had an unexpected adventure. In 1896, he took part in the Second Matabele War in southern Africa, working as a war correspondent with Cecil Rhodes. This was a departure from his mainly academic and civic career that followed. After returning to Britain, he qualified as a solicitor in 1897, while also pursuing his passion for art history. In 1899, he married Mary Helene Marten, an Oxford graduate who shared his interest in collecting art photographs and reproductions. Their marriage formed the foundation of a lifelong intellectual partnership.
Robert and Mary Witt gathered a collection of art reproductions that grew to over 500,000 items, kept at their home at 32 Portman Square in London. This collection, known as the Witt Library, became the world's largest of its kind and served as a study center for art historians and scholars worldwide. They welcomed researchers from around the world to their home, making it a key location for art scholarship. In 1952, after their deaths, the collection was given to the Courtauld Institute of Art.
Witt was also active in the arts community. In 1902, he published "How to Look at Pictures," a guide aimed at making art accessible to the general public. He joined the National Art Collections Fund in 1903 and was its second chairman from 1921 to 1945, working to keep important artworks in public hands in Britain. Along with Samuel Courtauld and Lord Lee of Fareham, Witt helped establish the Courtauld Institute of Art, which became a top center for studying art history. His public service in the arts was recognized when he was named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1918 and a Knight Bachelor in 1922. He passed away at his London home on 26 March 1952, at the age of 80.
Before Fame
Robert Witt was born in 1872 in Camberwell, south London, to a German merchant family with ties to Hamburg and Frankfurt. Growing up in a European household in Victorian Britain exposed him to cultural exchange, which likely sparked his interest in the visual arts. He studied at Clifton College, one of the top independent schools at the time, before moving on to New College, Oxford, where he studied history. This background in historical study laid the groundwork for his future work in art history.
After Oxford, Witt took a bold path before starting his career, traveling to southern Africa in 1896 as a war correspondent during the Second Matabele War, working closely with Cecil Rhodes. When he returned, he trained as a solicitor in 1897, a career that gave him financial security while he delved into art collecting and research. His marriage in 1899 to Mary Helene Marten, who was also educated at Oxford and shared his passion for art, marked the start of their shared collecting efforts, which became a significant part of his legacy.
Key Achievements
- Co-founded the Courtauld Institute of Art in London alongside Samuel Courtauld and Lord Lee of Fareham
- Built the Witt Library, a collection of over 500,000 art reproductions that became the world's largest archive of its kind
- Served as chairman of the National Art Collections Fund from 1921 to 1945
- Published How to Look at Pictures (1902), a widely read guide to art appreciation for general audiences
- Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (1918) and Knight Bachelor (1922) for services to the arts
Did You Know?
- 01.Witt worked as a war correspondent alongside Cecil Rhodes during the Second Matabele War in 1896, an unusual episode for a man who would go on to become one of Britain's leading art historians.
- 02.The Witt Library, assembled jointly by Robert and his wife Mary, eventually contained more than 500,000 reproductions of paintings and drawings, making it the largest archive of its kind in the world.
- 03.Witt and his wife housed their enormous art archive in their private residence at 32 Portman Square, London, effectively turning their home into an international research center.
- 04.He served as chairman of the National Art Collections Fund for 24 years, from 1921 to 1945, a tenure that spanned two world wars.
- 05.His 1902 publication How to Look at Pictures was written not for specialists but for ordinary people, reflecting his belief that art appreciation should be accessible to the general public.
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Commander of the Order of the British Empire | — | — |
| Knight Bachelor | — | — |
| Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries | — | — |