Posted on behalf of Katharine Martinez

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Wolfgang was a gifted bibliographer, a rare entity in today’s world. His knowledge of art history and his language abilities were the tools that made him exceptional as an art librarian, but what truly set him apart was his passion about the literature of art history and his single-minded devotion to the hunt for each individual title. His contacts in the bookdealer world were amazing. The quality of the Fine Arts Library was due in large measure to his intense focus on collection building as well as his deep respect for his fellow bibliographers at Harvard. Wolfgang was also known for his outspoken support for art reproduction collections. He loved to remind me that when he was given a tour of the Fogg Art Museum Library, as the Fine Arts Library at Harvard was then known, by the Librarian, Miss Lucas, she described the Library as an art reproduction collection with a supporting library of books and periodicals. At a certain time in the evolution of ARLIS/NA telling this story was a radical thing to do. His article, “Early uses of photography in the history of art” (Art Journal XXXIX/2 (winter 1979-1980) 117) laid the foundation for subsequent scholarly literature about art reproductions by Trevor Fawcett, Anthony Hamber, and others. In addition to being an extraordinary art librarian, Wolfgang was truly a lovely  human being. As a young art librarian in the 1970s I was enormously grateful and impressed by how engaging and inclusive he was with all of his fellow art librarians. He never set himself apart aloofly when he could easily have done so and as some other elder statesmen in our field did. There were countless occasions during ARLIS/NA conferences when I saw him join a table of young art librarians who were at first astounded to meet him and then won over by his charm and openness. He was a dapper gentleman with a great laugh, who loved to socialize and tell stories. Some of my happiest memories of working at Harvard involve lunches with him. Thank you Wolfgang for easing the way for me!

 

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Katharine Martinez, Ph.D.

Director, Center for Creative Photography

University of Arizona

1030 North Olive Road

P. O. Box 210103

Tucson, AZ 85721

 

Phone: (520) 621-7970

Email: [log in to unmask]

www.creativephotography.org