Rosenwald, Lessing J. Lessing Julius 1891-1979

Collector, patron.

From the description of Lessing J. Rosenwald interview, 1970 Aug. 18. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 80812816

Background: Rosenwald acquired photographs of each woodcut in 21 copies of the Strassburg 1496 Terence (Goff T-94), compared them, and documented the variants. His article analysing the production of Grüninger's Terence was never completed. Rosenwald sought the advice of Rudolf Hirsch, whose three pages of comments accompany the material.

From the description of Notes for and draft of article concerning the printing of the composite woodcut illustrations in Comoediae of Terentius by Johannes Grüninger (Strassburg, 1496), 1970s. (University of Pennsylvania Library). WorldCat record id: 155896067

Biographical Note

• 1891, Feb. 10: Born, Chicago, Ill.
• 1909 - 1911 : Attended Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.
• 1913: Married Edith Goodkind
• 1920: General manager, Sears, Roebuck and Co., Philadelphia plant, Philadelphia, Pa.
• 1925 - 1926 : Began collecting prints, drawings, and rare books
• 1928: Executive vice president, Sears, Roebuck and Co.
• 1931 - 1932 : Vice president, board of directors, and chairman, executive committee, Sears, Roebuck and Co.
• 1932 - 1939 : Chairman, board of directors, Sears, Roebuck and Co.
• 1932 - 1948 : Chairman, board of trustees, Julius Rosenwald Fund
• 1939: Retired from Sears, Roebuck and Co. Opened Alverthorpe Gallery, Jenkintown, Pa.
• 1941 - 1943 : Director, Conservation Division, War Production Board
• 1943: Donated print collection to the National Gallery of Art and rare books to the Library of Congress Founder and chairman, American Council for Judaism
• 1963: Awarded Philadelphia Art Alliance Medal of Achievement
• 1967: Received Philadelphia Award Received Donald F. Hyde Award, Princeton University, Princeton, N.J.
• 1979, June 24: Died, Jenkintown, Pa.

From the guide to the Lessing J. Rosenwald Papers, 1891-1979, (bulk 1932-1979), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)