David Talbot Rice
Encyclopedia
David Talbot Rice CBE
(11 July 1903, Rugby
- 12 March 1972, Cheltenham
) was a British art historian. His father was "Talbot-Rice" and both he and his wife published using "Talbot Rice" as a surname, but are also sometimes found under "Rice" alone.
Born in Rugby
and brought up in Gloucestershire
(England
), he was educated at Eton
prior to reading archaeology and anthropology at Christ Church, Oxford
. At Oxford his circle of friends included Evelyn Waugh
and Harold Acton
as well as his future wife (Elena) Tamara Abelson (1904–1993) whom he was to marry in 1927. She was a Russian émigrée he had first known at Oxford, who was also an art historian, writing on Byzantine and Central Eastern art and other subjects.
Following his graduation Rice undertook a number of archaeological digs overseas and developed a passion for all things Byzantine
. His expertise in the area of Islamic art was recognised when, in 1932, Samuel Courtauld endowed the Courtauld Institute
at the University of London and Rice was among the first appointments, taking up a position as lecturer.
Rice was subsequently appointed to the Watson Gordon Chair of Fine Art at the University of Edinburgh
in 1934, a post he held until his death in 1972. During World War II
, he served as Head of the Near East Section of Military Intelligence (MI3
b), which was responsible for Eastern Europe including Yugoslavia
but excluding Russia and Scandinavia
. Originally commissioned on the Special List in 1939, he transferred to the Intelligence Corps in 1943. He ended the war as a Major
.
When peacetime returned he came back to Scotland
and established an Honours degree at the university which combined art history and studio art and is still offered today. His ambition to establish an arts centre in the University was realised posthumously when the Talbot Rice Gallery
was founded and named after him.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(11 July 1903, Rugby
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
- 12 March 1972, Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
) was a British art historian. His father was "Talbot-Rice" and both he and his wife published using "Talbot Rice" as a surname, but are also sometimes found under "Rice" alone.
Born in Rugby
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
and brought up in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
(England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
), he was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
prior to reading archaeology and anthropology at Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
. At Oxford his circle of friends included Evelyn Waugh
Evelyn Waugh
Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh , known as Evelyn Waugh, was an English writer of novels, travel books and biographies. He was also a prolific journalist and reviewer...
and Harold Acton
Harold Acton
Sir Harold Mario Mitchell Acton CBE was a British writer, scholar and dilettante perhaps most famous for being wrongly believed to have inspired the character of "Anthony Blanche" in Evelyn Waugh's novel Brideshead Revisited...
as well as his future wife (Elena) Tamara Abelson (1904–1993) whom he was to marry in 1927. She was a Russian émigrée he had first known at Oxford, who was also an art historian, writing on Byzantine and Central Eastern art and other subjects.
Following his graduation Rice undertook a number of archaeological digs overseas and developed a passion for all things Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
. His expertise in the area of Islamic art was recognised when, in 1932, Samuel Courtauld endowed the Courtauld Institute
Courtauld Institute of Art
The Courtauld Institute of Art is a self-governing college of the University of London specialising in the study of the history of art. The Courtauld is one of the premier centres for the teaching of art history in the world; it was the only History of Art department in the UK to be awarded a top...
at the University of London and Rice was among the first appointments, taking up a position as lecturer.
Rice was subsequently appointed to the Watson Gordon Chair of Fine Art at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
in 1934, a post he held until his death in 1972. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he served as Head of the Near East Section of Military Intelligence (MI3
MI3
MI3, the British Military Intelligence Section 3, is a division of the British Directorate of Military Intelligence, part of the War Office. It was originally set up to handle geographical information...
b), which was responsible for Eastern Europe including Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia and the Allies
In 1941 when the Axis invaded Yugoslavia, King Peter II formed a Government in exile in London, and in January 1942 the royalist Draža Mihailović became the Minister of War with British backing. But by June or July 1943, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill had decided to withdraw support from...
but excluding Russia and Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
. Originally commissioned on the Special List in 1939, he transferred to the Intelligence Corps in 1943. He ended the war as a Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
.
When peacetime returned he came back to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and established an Honours degree at the university which combined art history and studio art and is still offered today. His ambition to establish an arts centre in the University was realised posthumously when the Talbot Rice Gallery
Talbot Rice Gallery
The Talbot Rice Gallery is part of the University of Edinburgh, in Scotland and was established in 1975. It takes its name from David Talbot Rice, the Watson Gordon Professor of Fine Art at the University of Edinburgh from 1934–1972....
was founded and named after him.
Selected bibliography
- The Birth of Western Painting: a History of Colour, Form, and Iconography Illustrated from the Paintings of Mistra and Mount Athos, of Giotto and Duccio, and of El Greco. London, Routledge, 1930.
- Byzantine Art. Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1935 (last revised edition Penguin, 1968).
- Byzantine Painting at Trebizond. London, Allen & Unwin, 1936.
- English Art, 871-1100. Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1952.
- The Beginnings of Christian Art. London, Hodder and Stoughton, 1957.
- The Art of Byzantium. London, Thames and Hudson, 1959.
- Byzantine Icons. London, Faber and Faber, 1959.
- Dark Ages: the Making of European Civilization. London, Thames and Hudson, 1965.
- Byzantine Painting: the Last Phase. New York, Dial PressDial PressThe Dial Press was a publishing house founded in 1923 by Lincoln MacVeagh.Dial Press shared a building with The Dial and Scofield Thayer worked with both. The first imprint was issued in 1924. Authors included Elizabeth Bowen, W.R...
, 1968. - Icons and their Dating: a Comprehensive Study of their Chronology and Provenance. London, Thames and Hudson, 1974.