Alf Boe, museum director. Various European decorations. Member Norwegian Association for Craft and Design (president), Scandinavian Museum Association (chairman Norwegian section since 1985), Norwegian Association Art Cultural History Museums (chairman 1982-1986).
Background
He was born in Bergen as a son of professor Johannes Bøe (1891–1971) and Dagny Godager (1896–1982). Between 1955 and 1972 he was married to Kari Færden, a daughter of Elisabeth Reiss, and a first cousin of Helge Reiss, niece of Thorleif Reiss and a granddaughter of Georg Reiss.
Education
He took the Bachelor of Letters degree at Oxford University in 1954 and the mag.art. (PhD equivalent) and cand.philol. He also studied at École du Louvre from 1956 to 1957.
Career
Degrees at the University of Oslo in 1955. From 1959 to 1962 he was a curator at Nordenfjeldske Kunstindustrimuseum and from 1962 to 1968 he was the head curator at the Norwegian Museum of Decorative Arts and Design. He was the director of Norsk Designcentrum from 1968 to 1973, lecturer in art history at the University of Oslo from 1973 to 1976, and then the director of Oslo municipality's art collections from 1976 to 1995.
Bøe was president or chairman in Landsforbundet Norsk Brukskunst, Skandinavisk Museumsforbund, Norske kunst- og kulturhistoriske museer, Selskabet for Oslo Byes Vel and the Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry. His bachelor's thesis From Gothic Revival to Functional Form is also his best known work, even internationally. Other books include Om filigran (1959 with Thale Riisøen), Norwegian Industrial Design (1963), Porsgrunds Porselænsfabrik (1967), Den norske designpris (1969), Samliv med fortiden (1976) and Edvard Munch (1992).
He contributed to volumes five, six and seven of Norges kunsthistorie. He died in June 2010 in Oslo.
Member Norwegian Association for Craft and Design (president), Scandinavian Museum Association (chairman Norwegian section since 1985), Norwegian Association Art Cultural History Museums (chairman 1982-1986).
Interests
Avocations: sailing, gardening, books.
Connections
Married Kari Faerden, 1955 (divorced). Children: Ole Johannes, Elisabeth. Married Ulla Tarras-Wahlberg, 1972.