Campbell Dodgson

Campbell Dodgson

Campbell Dodgson,CBEDLitt Hon RE (13 August 1867 – 11 July 1948) was a Britishart historianand museumcurator.He was the Keeper of Prints and Drawings at theBritish Museumin 1912–32.

Biography

Student

Campbell Dodgson was the eighth and last child of William Oliver Dodgson, a London stockbroker, and Lucy Elizabeth Smith, daughter of Henley Smith who owned the Priory on the Isle of Wight which had been passed into the Grose-Smith family after the death ofSir Nash Grose.He was a distant cousin of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, better known as authorLewis Carroll.His close relatives included his brother Edward Spencer Dodgson, his nephew the artist John Arthur Dodgson,and his great-nephew the British composer and broadcasterStephen Cuthbert Dodgson.

Dodgson was a scholar atWinchester,1880–86, andNew College,Oxford University,1886–91, where he was listed in the directory as having studied previously at Winchester College, and the seventh son of William Oliver Dodgson, gentleman.He obtained a First inGreats(ancient history and philosophy) in 1890, and a Second in Theology in 1891.

In 1934 Dodgson was given the honorary degree of DLitt at Oxford Convocation. The Times of London reports: "Mr. Dodgson was described as ex animo Wiccamicus, Collegii Novi quondam scholaris et Custodis illustrissimi, nuper perempti, gener. His long and distinguished record as Keeper of Drawings and Prints at the, British Museum testifies to his expert knowledge, as does also his editorship of the Print' Collectors' Quarterly. The Ashmolean has to thank him not only for a catalogue of woodcuts but for training Dr. Parker, the present Keeper of the Department of Fine Arts. He has recently been awarded the Hindenburg Prize for Kunst und Wissenschafft."

Curator

Dodgson initially worked as atutor,attempting to help his fellow OxonianLord Alfred Douglas.An active poet and not-so-active student, Lord Alfred had beensent downfromMagdalen CollegeinHilary term,and the tutorship was a last-ditch attempt to assist the poet to restart his studies and take a degree. After this push failed, Dodgson was called later in 1893 to the British Museum, where he established his career as a librarian and became an art historian specializing in works on paper (1893–1932). He learnt German, 'writing German without difficulty' (DNB, 1941-50: 215) and made many contributions to German periodicals (ibid.).

On the retirement of SirSidney Colvinin 1912 Dodgson was appointed Keeper of Prints and Drawings. Dodgson specialized in early modern Flemish and German prints, and published extensively on the works ofAlbrecht Dürer,but he also applied his expertise to works of many other schools and periods. During the First World War (1914–18) he worked in Intelligence for the War Office; his 1918 CBE was a recognition of this work (DNB, 1941-50: 216).

In 1913 Dodgson marriedFrances Catharine Spooner,an artist who trained at the Slade School and became known as Catharine Dodgson.Catharine Dodgson was the eldest daughter ofWilliam Archibald Spooner(Warden of New College and the eponymous author of 'Spoonerisms'), in 1913 (DNB, 1941-50: 216).

Dodgson was the editor, in the 1920s, ofThe Print Collector’s Quarterly.He was also a contributor toThe Burlington Magazineand to theDictionary of National Biography.

Dodgson gave generously to theBritish Museumduring his Keepership, but at the same time amassed a very large collection of over 10,000 prints which he bequeathed to the Museum.This included the first works byPablo PicassoandSalvador Dalíto enter that collection. The same bequest included also the box file Dodgson used to document his acquisitions, which have recently been added to the British Museum’s online database.

He wrote about and championed women artists, including his wife Catherine Dodgson,Gwen Raverat,andMargaret Pilkington.

External links

• Overview of publications