Robert Clermont Witt

Background

WITT, Robert Clermont was born on January 16, 1872. Son of G. A. Witt.

Education

Studied at Clifton College. New College Oxford (Master of Arts).

Career

Witt read history at New College, Oxford and qualified as a solicitor in 1897. Their joint collection, eventually surpassing 500,000 items, was housed in their home at 32 Portman Square, London. The Witt Library, as the couple referred to it, was the world"s largest archive of reproductions of paintings and drawings, and turned their home into an international study center for scholars of art history.

The collection was bequeathed to the Courtauld Institute upon the couple"s death in 1952.

In 1902 Witt wrote How to Look at Pictures, a practical guide for the layperson. He joined the National Art Collections Fund in 1903 and was its second chairman from 1921 to 1945.

His work on artists lives on in A Checklist of Painters from c1200-1994.

Achievements

• In the King"s Birthday Honours 1918 Witt was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire and in the New Year Honours 1922 was appointed a Knight Bachelor.

Works

• book

  • How to Look at Pictures (Hardback) - Common

    (This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of th...)

  • How to Look at Pictures

    (Book for anyone that has no knowledge of pictures and pai...)

  • How to Look at Pictures - Primary Source Edition

    (This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. T...)

  • How to Look at Pictures 1906

    (Originally published in 1906. This volume from the Cornel...)

  • How to Look at Pictures 1902

    (Originally published in 1902. This volume from the Cornel...)

  • How to look at pictures 1903 Hardcover

    (Lang:- eng, Pages 288 . Reprinted in 2015 with the help o...)

  • How To Look At Pictures
  • How to look at Pictures
  • How to Look at Pictures 1906 by Witt, Robert Clermont (2009) Paperback
  • How to Look At Pictures
  • How to Look at Pictures (Classic Reprint) by Witt, Robert Clermont (2012) Paperback
  • How to Look at Pictures 1902 by Witt, Robert Clermont (2009) Paperback
  • How to look at pictures

Membership

Clubs: Royal Automobile, City University, Burlington Fine Arts, Leander.

Interests

• Motoring, rowing.

Connections

Spouse 1899, Mary 2202 Helene,daughter of Charles Marten.

Father:

G. A. Witt

Spouse:

Mary 2202 Helene