Wasserman, Jeanne L.

Art collectors; Boston, Mass. Jeanne (1915- ) was a curator; Max (1913-1986), a businessman.

The 180 Beacon St. Collection of Contemporary Art was assembled in the 1960s by the Wassermans, with the advice of a committee consisting of Dorothy Miller of the Museum of Modern Art, H. Harvard Arnason of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, curator Sam Hunter, and Jeanne Wasserman, for the 17-storey apartment building built by the Wasserman Development Corporation. The committee's selections were primarily works by living artists done from the late fifties; slightly more than half were American. In 1975, the Development Corp. went bankrupt and the approximately 160 art objects were dispersed, chiefly at auctions. The Wasserman's personal art collection consisted of work by many of the same artists and included as well large-scale outdoor sculpture.

Jeanne Wasserman (nee Leonard) was born March 19, 1915 in New York City, later moving to New Rochelle, New York. Mrs. Wasserman's family, of German-Jewish descent, immigrated to the United States in the pre-Civil War era. Wasserman's grandfather was a successful businessman, who later paid for Jeanne's private high school and later, her college education at Radcliffe, which culminated in a degree in English literature in 1936.

In 1962, Mrs. Wasserman came to the Fogg Art Museum as a research assistant to then director, John Coolidge. In 1969, she was named the Honorary Curator of 19th- and 20th-Century Sculpture, a position she held for almost 2 decades. While at the Fogg, Mrs. Wasserman was in charge of a number of renowned exhibitions, including "Daumier Sculpture: A Critical and Comparative Study," for which she also authored a book with the same title.

Jeanne Wasserman (née Leonard) was born March 19, 1915 in New York City, later moving to New Rochelle, New York. Her family, of German-Jewish descent, immigrated to the United States in the pre-Civil War era. Wasserman's grandfather was a successful businessman, who paid for Jeanne's private high school and later, her college education at Radcliffe College, which culminated in a degree in English literature in 1936.

Ms. Wasserman met her husband, Max Wasserman, on a blind date, shortly before her graduation from Radcliffe. The two married in 1938, once Jeanne was convinced Max could support her. The Wassermans had three children, Peter, Suzanne, and Nancy. Ms. Wasserman began her career doing the advertising for her husband's business, Wasco Flashing. When he sold the business in the 1950's to work in real estate, Ms. Wasserman began working in the art field.

Having taken classes at the Fogg Art Museum while she was at Radcliffe, Ms. Wasserman was eager to return, and did so in 1962, as a research assistant to then director, John Coolidge. In 1969, she was named the Honorary Curator of 19th- and 20th-Century Sculpture, a position she held for about 2 decades. While at the Fogg, Ms. Wasserman was in charge of a number of renowned exhibitions, including "Daumier Sculpture: A Critical and Comparative Study," for which she also authored a book with the same title. Ms. Wasserman's expertise on Honoré Daumier led to many accolades, including being acknowledged at the Daumier Symposium at the Musée D'Orsay in Paris in 1999. Throughout her life, Ms. Wasserman was a regular on museum boards and committees, often playing an integral role in collections development.

After her husband's death in 1986, Ms. Wasserman began teaching at the Harvard Institute for Learning in Retirement (HILR) and was honored by the Institute by being named a Distinguished Member in 2000. She also served as a trustee of the Boston Institute of Contemporary Art, Brandeis' Rose Art Museum, and on Harvard's Committee to Visit the Fine Arts, and the Cambridge Public Art Commission. In addition to being a scholar of art, Ms. Wasserman was also passionate about women's rights, and was instrumental in leading the fight for women's right to birth control and in helping launch Planned Parenthood in Massachusetts.

Jeanne Wasserman died in Cambridge, Massachusetts on January 21, 2006.

Jeanne Wasserman (nee Leonard) was born March 19, 1915 in New York City, later moving to New Rochelle, New York. Ms. Wasserman's family, of German-Jewish descent, immigrated to the United States in the pre-Civil War era. Wasserman's grandfather was a successful businessman, who paid for Jeanne's private high school and later, her college education at Radcliffe College, which culminated in a degree in English literature in 1936.

Ms. Wasserman met her husband, Max Wasserman, on a blind date, shortly before her graduation from Radcliffe. The two married in 1938, after Jeanne was convinced Max could support her. Ms. Wasserman began her career doing the advertising for her husband's business, Wasco Flashing. When he sold the business in the 1950's to work in real estate, Ms. Wasserman began working in the art field.

Having taken classes at the Fogg Art Museum while she was at Radcliffe, Ms. Wasserman was eager to return, and did so in 1962, as a research assistant to then director, John Coolidge. In 1969, she was named the Honorary Curator of 19th- and 20th-Century Sculpture, a position she held for about 2 decades. While at the Fogg, Ms. Wasserman was in charge of a number of renowned exhibitions, including "Daumier Sculpture: A Critical and Comparative Study," for which she also authored a book with the same title. Ms. Wasserman's expertise on Honoré Daumier led to many accolades, including being acknowledged at the Daumier Symposium at the Musée D'Orsay in Paris in 1999.

After her husband's death in 1986, Ms. Wasserman began teaching at the Harvard Institute for Learning in Retirement and was honored by the Institute by being named as a Distinguished Member in 2000. She also served as a trustee of the Boston Institute of Contemporary Art, and on Harvard's Committee to Visit the Fine Arts, and the Cambridge Public Art Commission.

The Wassermans had three children, Peter, Suzanne, and Nancy. In addition to being a scholar of art, Ms. Wasserman was also passionate about women's rights, and was instrumental in leading the fight for women's right to birth control and in helping launch Planned Parenthood in Massachusetts.