Caspar Purdon Clarke
Encyclopedia
Sir Caspar Purdon Clarke CIE (1846–1911) was an architect and a museum director.
.
In 1878 he acted as archited of the Indian section and commercial agent to the Indian government at the Paris Exhibition
. In 1880 Clarke arranged the Indian collections at South Kensington, which led to taking on the position of special commissioner in India and then becoming keeper of the India Museum at South Kensington in 1883. His acquisitions included the Hamzanama
folios, early Mughal illustrations of the epic adventures of Hamza by northern Indian and Iranian artists. He also bought contemporary crafts, architectural woodwork and drawings. In 1892 Clarke was appointed Keeper of the art collections, in 1893 promoted to Assistant Director before finally becoming Director in 1896. During his time as Director he also filled the posts of Royal Commissioner at the 1900 Paris Exhibition
and at St Louis
in 1904. He resigned from the South Kensington Museum (renamed in 1899 as the Victoria and Albert Museum) in 1905.
Whilst at the South Kensington Museum, he continued to be active as an architect and undertook several commissions in the Indian style. These included Lord Brassey's Indian Museum in Park Lane in 1887 and the Indian Palace at the 1889 Paris Exhibition
. In 1899 he was commissioned, in conjunction with architect William Young, to design the Indian hall at Elvedon
, Suffolk by Edward Guinness, 1st Earl of Iveagh
(1847-1927). He also later advised Iveagh on the furniture and tapestries for Elvedon.
in New York Luigi Palma di Cesnola
died. The American millionaire and art collector J. P. Morgan
(1837-1913) assumed the duties as President of the Museum and hired Clarke to be its second director. It was hoped he would be able to raise the Metropolitan Museum of Art to the international standing of the Victoria and Albert Museum. In 1905 Clarke hired Edward Robinson
, the recently-resigned director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
, to be his assistant director. He returned to England due to ill health in 1909 and resigned in 1910. He remained the museum's honorary European correspondent unil his death on 29 March 1911.
, and other publications. In 1910 he published a catalogue of the Arms and Armour at Sandringham.
He was made chevalier of the Légion d'Honneur
in 1878, in which year he also received silver and bronze medals at the Paris Exhibition, which were followed by a gold medal in 1889. He was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries
on 4 May 1893. He was created Companion of the Indian Empire
in 1883, and knighted in 1902. He was also given the commander's cross of the order of the crown of Germany.
Early Years
Born on 21 December 1846, he was the second son of Edward Marmaduke Clarke and Mary Agnes Close. Clarke was educated at Gaultier's School in Sydenham, Kent and Beaucourt's School in Boulogne, France. Between 1862 and 1865 he studied architecture at the National Art Training Schools at South Kensington. In 1865 he entered the office of works where he distinguished himself in work for the rebuilding of the Houses of Parliament. In 1866 he married Frances Susannah Collins with whom he had eight children, three sons and five daughters. The eldest son, C Stanley Clarke became assistant keeper of the Indian section of the Victoria and Albert MuseumVictoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum , set in the Brompton district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects...
.
The South Kensington Museum
In 1867 he moved to the South Kensington Museum where he oversaw mosaic reproduction. Beginning in 1874, Clarke accepted various foreign assignments as supervising architect to the crown, most notably Tehran. In 1876, Clarke traveled to Turkey, Syria, and Greece and in 1879 to Spain, Italy, and Germany buying artifacts for the Museum.In 1878 he acted as archited of the Indian section and commercial agent to the Indian government at the Paris Exhibition
Exposition Universelle (1878)
The third Paris World's Fair, called an Exposition Universelle in French, was held from 1 May through to 10 November 1878. It celebrated the recovery of France after the 1870 Franco-Prussian War.-Construction:...
. In 1880 Clarke arranged the Indian collections at South Kensington, which led to taking on the position of special commissioner in India and then becoming keeper of the India Museum at South Kensington in 1883. His acquisitions included the Hamzanama
Hamzanama
The Hamzanama or Dastan-e-Amir Hamza narrates the legendary exploits of Amir Hamza, the uncle of the prophet of Islam, though most of the story is extremely fanciful, "a continuous series of romantic interludes, threatening events, narrow escapes, and violent acts"...
folios, early Mughal illustrations of the epic adventures of Hamza by northern Indian and Iranian artists. He also bought contemporary crafts, architectural woodwork and drawings. In 1892 Clarke was appointed Keeper of the art collections, in 1893 promoted to Assistant Director before finally becoming Director in 1896. During his time as Director he also filled the posts of Royal Commissioner at the 1900 Paris Exhibition
Exposition Universelle (1900)
The Exposition Universelle of 1900 was a world's fair held in Paris, France, from April 15 to November 12, 1900, to celebrate the achievements of the past century and to accelerate development into the next...
and at St Louis
Louisiana Purchase Exposition
The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, informally known as the Saint Louis World's Fair, was an international exposition held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States in 1904.- Background :...
in 1904. He resigned from the South Kensington Museum (renamed in 1899 as the Victoria and Albert Museum) in 1905.
Whilst at the South Kensington Museum, he continued to be active as an architect and undertook several commissions in the Indian style. These included Lord Brassey's Indian Museum in Park Lane in 1887 and the Indian Palace at the 1889 Paris Exhibition
Exposition Universelle (1889)
The Exposition Universelle of 1889 was a World's Fair held in Paris, France from 6 May to 31 October 1889.It was held during the year of the 100th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille, an event traditionally considered as the symbol for the beginning of the French Revolution...
. In 1899 he was commissioned, in conjunction with architect William Young, to design the Indian hall at Elvedon
Elveden Hall
Elveden Hall is a large privately owned house overlooking the large Elveden Estate in Elveden, Suffolk, England. It is located centrally to the village and is close to the A11 and the Parish Church....
, Suffolk by Edward Guinness, 1st Earl of Iveagh
Edward Guinness, 1st Earl of Iveagh
Edward Cecil Guinness, 1st Earl of Iveagh, KP, GCVO, FRS was an Irish philanthropist and businessman.-Public life:...
(1847-1927). He also later advised Iveagh on the furniture and tapestries for Elvedon.
Metropolitan Museum of Art
In 1904 the president and director of the Metropolitan Museum of ArtMetropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a renowned art museum in New York City. Its permanent collection contains more than two million works, divided into nineteen curatorial departments. The main building, located on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan's Museum Mile, is one of the...
in New York Luigi Palma di Cesnola
Luigi Palma di Cesnola
Luigi Palma di Cesnola , an Italian-American soldier and amateur archaeologist, was born in Rivarolo Canavese, near Turin...
died. The American millionaire and art collector J. P. Morgan
J. P. Morgan
John Pierpont Morgan was an American financier, banker and art collector who dominated corporate finance and industrial consolidation during his time. In 1892 Morgan arranged the merger of Edison General Electric and Thomson-Houston Electric Company to form General Electric...
(1837-1913) assumed the duties as President of the Museum and hired Clarke to be its second director. It was hoped he would be able to raise the Metropolitan Museum of Art to the international standing of the Victoria and Albert Museum. In 1905 Clarke hired Edward Robinson
Edward Robinson (archaeologist)
Edward Robinson was an American writer and authority on art, born in Boston in 1858.-Biography:He graduated from Harvard in 1879, and spent the following five years in study, especially in Greece and in Berlin , devoting his attention chiefly to archaeology...
, the recently-resigned director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, is one of the largest museums in the United States, attracting over one million visitors a year. It contains over 450,000 works of art, making it one of the most comprehensive collections in the Americas...
, to be his assistant director. He returned to England due to ill health in 1909 and resigned in 1910. He remained the museum's honorary European correspondent unil his death on 29 March 1911.
Other Offices
Clarke's official duties did not stop him carrying out other notable work. In 1870 he organized and conducted evening art classes for artisans in Soho, Lambeth, and Clerkenwell and he designed Cotherstone church, Durham (1876), Alexandra House, Kensington (1886, for students at the Royal College of Music), and the National School of Cookery, South Kensington (1887). He visited America to study the housing of female students at Boston in 1884, edited a work on oriental carpets for the Austrian government in 1892, and besides lecturing, contributed numerous papers on architecture, Eastern arts and crafts, and arms and armour to the Journal of the Society of Arts, the Journal of Indian Art, the Journal of the Royal Institute of British ArchitectsRoyal Institute of British Architects
The Royal Institute of British Architects is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally.-History:...
, and other publications. In 1910 he published a catalogue of the Arms and Armour at Sandringham.
He was made chevalier of the Légion d'Honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
in 1878, in which year he also received silver and bronze medals at the Paris Exhibition, which were followed by a gold medal in 1889. He was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries
Society of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
on 4 May 1893. He was created Companion of the Indian Empire
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
in 1883, and knighted in 1902. He was also given the commander's cross of the order of the crown of Germany.