Aline B. Saarinen
Encyclopedia
Aline Bernstein Saarinen (25 March 1914 - 13 July 1972) was a well-known critic of art and architecture in the United States, an author and a television journalist.
Her father was the head of an investment firm and an amateur painter. Her mother also painted, and she was encouraged to take an interest in the arts.
She attended the Fieldstone School in New York City, graduating in 1931, then went to Vassar College
where she studied art and developed an interest in journalism. She graduated in 1935 with an A.B. degree.
The same year she enrolled at New York University
's Institute of Fine Arts to study the History of Architecture, graduating with an A.M. degree in 1941.
She had two sons during this period, Donald in 1937, and Harry in 1939.
Aline obtained a job with Art News
magazine in 1944, becoming managing editor from 1946 to 1948.
From 1948 to 1953 she was associate art editor and critic at the New York Times, and published articles on art and cultural trends in various magazines.
Aline divorced Joseph Louchheim in 1951.
In January 1953 she went to Detroit to interview the Finnish-born architect Eero Saarinen
, who had recently been acclaimed for his General Motors Technical Center
. They were attracted to each other at once.
Her profile of Saarinen, titled Now Saarinen the Son, appeared in the New York Times Magazine on 23 April 1953.
She married Saarinen in 1954, moving to Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
, where his firm had its headquarters.
After their marriage, Aline stopped writing on architecture due to potential conflict of interest.
She continued writing for the Times as an associate art critic, now using the byline Aline B. Saarinen.
She became "Head of Information Service" at Eero Saarinen & Associates, a job that included bringing her husband's work to the attention of magazine editors with whom she had once worked.
In December that year they had a son, Eames.
In 1957 Aline was awarded a Guggenheim fellowship
with which she wrote the best selling book The Proud Possessors, a collection of biographies of American art collectors.
Eero died suddenly in 1961.
Aline stayed with the firm while unfinished projects were completed, and in 1962 edited the book Eero Saarinen on His Work.
The show was successful, leading to demand for more appearances.
In the fall of 1963 she became art and architecture editor for NBC
's Sunday show, and art critic for their Today show. She discussed a broad range of topics with a lively and original style.
She also made many specials and documentaries, including The Art of Collecting, which aired in January 1964.
In October 1964 she became a correspondent for NBC News, the third NBC woman reporter after Pauline Frederick and Nancy Dickerson
. Again, she covered a broad range of subjects.
Aline was moderator on the show For Women Only, in which a panel answered questions from the audience including ones on subjects such as birth control and abortion.
During the 1960s Aline also served on the Design Advisory Committee of the Federal Aviation Administration, the Fine Arts Commission, and the New York State Council of the Arts.
In 1971 she was made head of NBC's Paris News Bureau, holding this position until her death from a brain tumor on 13 July 1972.
in 1951.
She received the Frank Jewett Mather
Award for best newspaper art criticism in 1953, and the American Federation of Arts
Award for best newspaper criticism in 1956.
In 1964 she turned down an offer from President Lyndon B. Johnson
of the post of ambassador to Finland.
Aline was awarded an honorary degree by the University of Michigan
in 1964, and another by the Russell Sage College
in 1967.
Birth and education
Aline Bernstein was born in New York City on 25 March 1914.Her father was the head of an investment firm and an amateur painter. Her mother also painted, and she was encouraged to take an interest in the arts.
She attended the Fieldstone School in New York City, graduating in 1931, then went to Vassar College
Vassar College
Vassar College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college in the town of Poughkeepsie, New York, in the United States. The Vassar campus comprises over and more than 100 buildings, including four National Historic Landmarks, ranging in style from Collegiate Gothic to International,...
where she studied art and developed an interest in journalism. She graduated in 1935 with an A.B. degree.
Art critic
On 17 June 1935 Aline married Joseph H. Louchheim, a public welfare administrator.The same year she enrolled at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
's Institute of Fine Arts to study the History of Architecture, graduating with an A.M. degree in 1941.
She had two sons during this period, Donald in 1937, and Harry in 1939.
Aline obtained a job with Art News
ARTnews
ARTnews is an arts magazine based in New York, founded by James Clarence Hyde in 1902 as Hyde’s Weekly Art News. It is published 11 times a year.ARTnews covers all art, from ancient to Post-modernism...
magazine in 1944, becoming managing editor from 1946 to 1948.
From 1948 to 1953 she was associate art editor and critic at the New York Times, and published articles on art and cultural trends in various magazines.
Aline divorced Joseph Louchheim in 1951.
In January 1953 she went to Detroit to interview the Finnish-born architect Eero Saarinen
Eero Saarinen
Eero Saarinen was a Finnish American architect and industrial designer of the 20th century famous for varying his style according to the demands of the project: simple, sweeping, arching structural curves or machine-like rationalism.-Biography:Eero Saarinen shared the same birthday as his father,...
, who had recently been acclaimed for his General Motors Technical Center
General Motors Technical Center
The GM Technical Center is a General Motors facility in Warren, Michigan. The campus is home to 16,000 GM engineers, designers, and technicians and has been the center of the company's engineering effort since its inauguration in 1956....
. They were attracted to each other at once.
Her profile of Saarinen, titled Now Saarinen the Son, appeared in the New York Times Magazine on 23 April 1953.
She married Saarinen in 1954, moving to Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Bloomfield Hills is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan, northwest of downtown Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,869...
, where his firm had its headquarters.
After their marriage, Aline stopped writing on architecture due to potential conflict of interest.
She continued writing for the Times as an associate art critic, now using the byline Aline B. Saarinen.
She became "Head of Information Service" at Eero Saarinen & Associates, a job that included bringing her husband's work to the attention of magazine editors with whom she had once worked.
In December that year they had a son, Eames.
In 1957 Aline was awarded a Guggenheim fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are American grants that have been awarded annually since 1925 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Each year, the foundation makes...
with which she wrote the best selling book The Proud Possessors, a collection of biographies of American art collectors.
Eero died suddenly in 1961.
Aline stayed with the firm while unfinished projects were completed, and in 1962 edited the book Eero Saarinen on His Work.
Television
In 1962, Aline Saarinen first appeared on television, discussing art.The show was successful, leading to demand for more appearances.
In the fall of 1963 she became art and architecture editor for NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Sunday show, and art critic for their Today show. She discussed a broad range of topics with a lively and original style.
She also made many specials and documentaries, including The Art of Collecting, which aired in January 1964.
In October 1964 she became a correspondent for NBC News, the third NBC woman reporter after Pauline Frederick and Nancy Dickerson
Nancy Dickerson
Nancy Dickerson was an American pioneering radio and television newswoman. As famous as a celebrity and socialite as she was for her journalism, she later became an award-winning independent producer of documentaries....
. Again, she covered a broad range of subjects.
Aline was moderator on the show For Women Only, in which a panel answered questions from the audience including ones on subjects such as birth control and abortion.
During the 1960s Aline also served on the Design Advisory Committee of the Federal Aviation Administration, the Fine Arts Commission, and the New York State Council of the Arts.
In 1971 she was made head of NBC's Paris News Bureau, holding this position until her death from a brain tumor on 13 July 1972.
Recognition
Aline Saarinen was given the International Award for Best Foreign Criticism at the Venice BiennaleVenice Biennale
The Venice Biennale is a major contemporary art exhibition that takes place once every two years in Venice, Italy. The Venice Film Festival is part of it. So too is the Venice Biennale of Architecture, which is held in even years...
in 1951.
She received the Frank Jewett Mather
Frank Jewett Mather
Frank Jewett Mather was an American art critic and professor.He was born at Deep River, Conn., and graduated from Williams College in 1889 and from Johns Hopkins in 1892: he studied also at Berlin and at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes, Paris...
Award for best newspaper art criticism in 1953, and the American Federation of Arts
American Federation of Arts
The American Federation of Arts is an organization in the United States of museums and other entities involved in the arts. It was established in 1909 at a convention held in Washington, D. C. from May 11–13 of that year called by the National Academy of Art. The concept for the organization was...
Award for best newspaper criticism in 1956.
In 1964 she turned down an offer from President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
of the post of ambassador to Finland.
Aline was awarded an honorary degree by the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1964, and another by the Russell Sage College
Russell Sage College
Russell Sage College is a women's college located in Troy, New York, approximately north of New York City in the Capital District. It is one of the three colleges that make up The Sage Colleges...
in 1967.