John G. Johnson
John G. Johnson (* 1840 in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania ; † April 14, 1917 there ) was an American lawyer and collector of Italian Flemish and German art of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
Johnson worked his way up from a humble background to become a lawyer for large firms like JP Morgan . He tried well over 100 cases in the United States Supreme Court , but twice turned down Presidents James A. Garfield and William McKinley's offers to become members of the Supreme Court . Johnson never held any public office, did not belong to any clubs or professional associations, but was an art collector with a passionate intensity. The well-known American law firm Saul Ewing goes back to Johnson's practice. Johnson bequeathed his extensive art collection to the Philadelphia Museum of Art .
Web links
- Obituary in the New York Times
- TIME Magazine, November 10, 1941, about Johnson and his collection on the occasion of their first museum presentation
- Museum information about the collection
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Johnson, John G. |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American lawyer and art collector |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1840 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Philadelphia , Pennsylvania |
| DATE OF DEATH | April 14, 1917 |
| Place of death | Philadelphia , Pennsylvania |