author
Wilhelm von Bode
1845–1929
A driving force behind Berlin’s rise as a museum capital, he helped shape the modern idea of what a great public art museum could be. This influential German art historian and curator combined scholarly expertise with an ambitious eye for collecting.
1 Audiobook
Die Italienische Plastik
by Wilhelm von Bode
About the author
Born Arnold Wilhelm Bode in Calvörde on December 10, 1845, he began by studying law before turning decisively toward art history. He joined Berlin’s museums in the 1870s and built a reputation as a gifted connoisseur, especially in Renaissance art, sculpture, and decorative arts.
Over the course of his career, he became one of the most important museum figures in Germany. He played a central role in expanding Berlin’s collections and was the creator and first curator of the Kaiser Friedrich Museum, opened in 1904 and later renamed the Bode Museum in his honor. His work helped bring Berlin’s museums international standing.
Ennobled late in life, he became known as Wilhelm von Bode. He died in Berlin on March 1, 1929, and is still remembered as a key architect of modern museum practice as well as a major voice in the study of European art.