Karl Schefold
Encyclopedia
Karl Schefold was a classical
archaeologist
based in Basel, Switzerland
. Born and educated in Germany
, he was forced in 1935 to emigrate to Switzerland, which he adopted as his home country. His speciality was in the religious content of ancient art, which he interpreted from a perspective informed by the scientific tradition and shaped by the poetic tradition of the German classical period and the ideals of the poet Stefan George
.
in Stuttgart
, he began his study of the ancient world at Tübingen
and Heidelberg
. He met his future wife, Marianne von den Steinen, there. He went on to study at Jena
, and in 1930 completed his doctorate at Marburg
under the supervision of Paul Jacobsthal
. Later he worked especially at the German Archaeological Institute
in Rome
and Athens
, and participated in excavations at Larisa in Thessaly
.
He was married on 5 February 1935 to Marianne von den Steinen, daughter of Karl von den Steinen
, a well-known ethnologist. Concerned by developments in Germany, he moved to Basel
the same year, and there completed his Habilitation
in classical archaeology. At first, he specialised in near-eastern and early-Christian archaeology. After the death of Ernst Pfuhl in 1940, he gradually became more and more responsible for all areas of teaching and finally, in 1953, the Chair was transferred to him. He declined numerous appointments in other countries; through his research, and the foundation of a museum of antiquities, he developed the field of archaeology at Basel.
Schefold was a member of the German, Austrian, and American archaeological institutes, and of the Bavarian and British Academy of Sciences. He held an honorary doctorate at the University of Thessaloniki. With Herbert A. Cahn he founded the Antikenmuseum Basel, the first museum for ancient art in Switzerland.
He had at three sons, Dian Schefold, Professor for public law in Bremen, Germany, Reimar Schefold, Professor for cultural anthropology, who lives in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and Bertram Schefold, Professor for economy in Frankfurt, Germany.
ns in southern Russia, and his excavations at Larisa and Eretria
. During his time in Basel he worked to maintain connections between America and Europe in difficult times.
After finishing the five-volume Griechische Sagenbilder ("Greek myth in art", 1964–1993) he focused in his last years on revising and expanding the book Die Bildnisse der antiken Dichter, Redner und Denker ("Depictions of ancient poets, orators, and thinkers", 1943, revised edition 1997); a summary and revision of his earlier work, Der religiöse Gehalt der antiken Kunst und die Offenbarung ("The religious content of ancient art and the Revelation", 1998), and Hugo von Hoffmansthals Bild von Stefan George ("Hugo von Hoffmansthal's depiction of Stefan George", 1998).
His work on Roman murals, especially at Pompeii
, had great importance in its time but is now considered obsolete.
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
archaeologist
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
based in Basel, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. Born and educated in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, he was forced in 1935 to emigrate to Switzerland, which he adopted as his home country. His speciality was in the religious content of ancient art, which he interpreted from a perspective informed by the scientific tradition and shaped by the poetic tradition of the German classical period and the ideals of the poet Stefan George
Stefan George
Stefan Anton George was a German poet, editor, and translator.-Biography:George was born in Bingen in Germany in 1868. He spent time in Paris, where he was among the writers and artists who attended the Tuesday soireés held by the poet Stéphane Mallarmé. He began to publish poetry in the 1890s,...
.
Life
After attending high school at the Eberhard-Ludwigs-GymnasiumEberhard-Ludwigs-Gymnasium
Eberhard-Ludwigs-Gymnasium is a gymnasium in Stuttgart established in 1686.-History:The school was established in 1686 as Gymnasium illustre. In 1881, during the reign of Charles I of Württemberg, because of overcrowding, the Karls-Gymnasium was established and took over 18 of its 39 classes...
in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, he began his study of the ancient world at Tübingen
Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen
Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen is a public university located in the city of Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is one of Germany's oldest universities, internationally noted in medicine, natural sciences and the humanities. In the area of German Studies it has been ranked first among...
and Heidelberg
Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg
The Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg is a public research university located in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Founded in 1386, it is the oldest university in Germany and was the third university established in the Holy Roman Empire. Heidelberg has been a coeducational institution...
. He met his future wife, Marianne von den Steinen, there. He went on to study at Jena
Friedrich Schiller University of Jena
Friedrich Schiller University of Jena , is a public research university located in Jena, Thuringia, Germany....
, and in 1930 completed his doctorate at Marburg
Philipps University of Marburg
The Philipp University of Marburg , was founded in 1527 by Landgrave Philip I of Hesse as the world's oldest university dating back to a Protestant foundation...
under the supervision of Paul Jacobsthal
Paul Jacobsthal
Paul Jacobsthal was a scholar of Greek vase painting and Celtic art. He wrote his dissertation at the University of Bonn under the supervision of Georg Loeschcke...
. Later he worked especially at the German Archaeological Institute
German Archaeological Institute
The German Archaeological Institute is an institution of research within the field of archaeology , and a "scientific corporation", with parentage of the federal Foreign Office of Germany-Origin:...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, and participated in excavations at Larisa in Thessaly
Thessaly
Thessaly is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey....
.
He was married on 5 February 1935 to Marianne von den Steinen, daughter of Karl von den Steinen
Karl von den Steinen
Karl von den Steinen was a German physician , ethnologist, explorer, and author of important anthropological work, which is particularly to the study of Indian cultures of Central Brazil, and the art of the Marquesas...
, a well-known ethnologist. Concerned by developments in Germany, he moved to Basel
University of Basel
The University of Basel is located in Basel, Switzerland, and is considered to be one of leading universities in the country...
the same year, and there completed his Habilitation
Habilitation
Habilitation is the highest academic qualification a scholar can achieve by his or her own pursuit in several European and Asian countries. Earned after obtaining a research doctorate, such as a PhD, habilitation requires the candidate to write a professorial thesis based on independent...
in classical archaeology. At first, he specialised in near-eastern and early-Christian archaeology. After the death of Ernst Pfuhl in 1940, he gradually became more and more responsible for all areas of teaching and finally, in 1953, the Chair was transferred to him. He declined numerous appointments in other countries; through his research, and the foundation of a museum of antiquities, he developed the field of archaeology at Basel.
Schefold was a member of the German, Austrian, and American archaeological institutes, and of the Bavarian and British Academy of Sciences. He held an honorary doctorate at the University of Thessaloniki. With Herbert A. Cahn he founded the Antikenmuseum Basel, the first museum for ancient art in Switzerland.
He had at three sons, Dian Schefold, Professor for public law in Bremen, Germany, Reimar Schefold, Professor for cultural anthropology, who lives in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and Bertram Schefold, Professor for economy in Frankfurt, Germany.
Work
Schefold was known for his work on late-classical Attic vases, on the art of the ScythiaScythia
In antiquity, Scythian or Scyths were terms used by the Greeks to refer to certain Iranian groups of horse-riding nomadic pastoralists who dwelt on the Pontic-Caspian steppe...
ns in southern Russia, and his excavations at Larisa and Eretria
Eretria
Erétria was a polis in Ancient Greece, located on the western coast of the island of Euboea, south of Chalcis, facing the coast of Attica across the narrow Euboean Gulf. Eretria was an important Greek polis in the 6th/5th century BC. However, it lost its importance already in antiquity...
. During his time in Basel he worked to maintain connections between America and Europe in difficult times.
After finishing the five-volume Griechische Sagenbilder ("Greek myth in art", 1964–1993) he focused in his last years on revising and expanding the book Die Bildnisse der antiken Dichter, Redner und Denker ("Depictions of ancient poets, orators, and thinkers", 1943, revised edition 1997); a summary and revision of his earlier work, Der religiöse Gehalt der antiken Kunst und die Offenbarung ("The religious content of ancient art and the Revelation", 1998), and Hugo von Hoffmansthals Bild von Stefan George ("Hugo von Hoffmansthal's depiction of Stefan George", 1998).
His work on Roman murals, especially at Pompeii
Pompeii
The city of Pompeii is a partially buried Roman town-city near modern Naples in the Italian region of Campania, in the territory of the comune of Pompei. Along with Herculaneum, Pompeii was destroyed and completely buried during a long catastrophic eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius spanning...
, had great importance in its time but is now considered obsolete.