Congratulations from famous artists, patrons and critics all over the world poured in today to the Florentine villa of Bernard Berenson, Vilna-born, American-educated critic considered the world’s greatest authority on Italian Renaissance art who yesterday celebrated his ninetieth birthday. Among the honors conferred on Mr. Berenson in celebration of his birthday was the award of a Doctorate in Letters from the University of Florence.
The “prodigious old man,” as he is called here, was born in Vilna in 1865 and brought by his parents to the United States at the age of 10. He studied at Harvard, and came to Florence in 1888, moving his residence there permanently in 1900. His vast collection of art works, it is understood, will be willed to Harvard upon his death.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
