John Davis Skilton

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John Davis Skilton (* 28. February 1909 in Cheshire , Connecticut ; † 22. January 1992 in Bridgeport , Connecticut) was an American art historian , curator and was in the Second World War, the so-called. Monuments Men at. Through his measures, he prepared the reconstruction and restoration of the Würzburg Residence and the famous Tiepolo fresco in the stairwell.

Life and activity as Monument Man in Würzburg

The then 36-year-old US officer from Connecticut landed in Würzburg on June 18, 1945 , three months after the devastating bomb attack on the city . As an art historian and employee of the National Gallery in Washington , he knew the importance of the prince-bishop's residence and its unique interior design. As an art historian and art protection officer, he knew that the works of art, which had already been temporarily protected with large beer tent tarpaulins in April and May 1945 under the direction of the art historian Rudolf Edwin Kuhn (1920–2001), had to be immediately secured and the supporting vault protected against moisture. There was even a lack of building material for the temporary emergency roofs. Getting wood, roofing felt, and cement was difficult even for a member of the American military government. On September 6, 1945 there was even a small topping-out ceremony in the garden hall.

Skilton left Würzburg on October 16, 1945. The emergency roof protected the frescoes by Tiepolo in the stairwell and imperial hall as well as the stucco decoration by Bossi in the white hall and the masonry from further moisture penetration, which would have caused the rest of the destruction in the next winter.

After his return to the USA he worked as a curator and art historian at the Brooklyn Museum of Art , the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Parke-Bernet Gallery in New York .

Skilton died in Bridgeport on January 22, 1992 at the age of 82.

honors and awards

literature

  • John D. Skilton: Memoirs of a Monuments Officer - Protecting European Artworks. Inkwater Press, Portland 2008, ISBN 978-1592-99370-3 .
  • John D. Skilton: Würzburg 1945 - memories of an American art protection officer. Werkbund printing works, Würzburg 1952.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Hans-Peter Baum : The rescue of the ceiling frescoes in the Würzburg residence. In: Ulrich Wagner (Hrsg.): History of the city of Würzburg. Volume I-III / 2, Theiss, Stuttgart 2001-2007; III / 1–2: From the transition to Bavaria to the 21st century. 2007, ISBN 978-3-8062-1478-9 , pp. 315-317, 1292.
  2. ^ John Skilton Street. In: WürzburgWiki. Retrieved July 16, 2019 .
personal data
SURNAME Skilton, John Davis
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American art historian, curator, and arts protection officer
DATE OF BIRTH February 28, 1909
PLACE OF BIRTH Cheshire , Connecticut , USA
DATE OF DEATH January 22, 1992
Place of death Bridgeport , Connecticut