Hagop K. Kevorkian

Born in Kayseri in 1872, Hagop K. Kevorkian was an Armenian-American archaeologist, art dealer, collector, and connoisseur who later settled in New York City after studying at Robert College in Istanbul. He became known for introducing American audiences and institutions to the art of Persia, the Islamic world, and the ancient Near East.

Over the course of his career, he assembled important collections, supported excavations, and helped shape how this material was displayed and studied in the United States. His gifts included Assyrian reliefs for the Brooklyn Museum, and his wider work is closely tied to major collections at institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Kevorkian was also a major philanthropist. Through the Kevorkian Foundation, he supported Middle Eastern and Iranian studies in New York, including programs at Columbia University and New York University. He died in 1962, but his influence remains visible in both museum galleries and academic life.