Basil William Robinson facts for kids
Basil William Robinson (born June 20, 1912 – died December 29, 2005) was a British expert in art and a writer. He was especially known for his knowledge of art and history from Asia. He was a Fellow of important groups like the British Academy and the Society of Antiquaries.
Life and Work
Basil William Robinson was born in London. He went to Winchester College and then to Corpus Christi College, Oxford for his university studies.
In 1939, he started working at the Victoria and Albert Museum. This is a famous museum in London. He joined the Department of Metalwork there. He served in the East during World War II from 1939 to 1946. After the war, he returned to the museum. He became the Keeper of the Department of Metalwork in 1966. He stayed in this important role until he retired in 1972.
Robinson was also involved with several expert groups. From 1970 to 1973, he was the president of the Royal Asiatic Society. This society focuses on the study of Asia. He was also an honorary president of the To-ken Society of Great Britain, which studies Japanese swords.
His Main Studies
Robinson was a leading expert in a few key areas of Asian art:
- Persian miniature paintings: These are very detailed small paintings from Persia (modern-day Iran). He created a way to classify and date these artworks. This helped other experts understand their history.
- Japanese swords: He studied the history and art of Japanese swords.
- Utagawa Kuniyoshi: This was a famous Japanese artist. Kuniyoshi was known for his ukiyo-e woodblock prints. Robinson helped show how important Kuniyoshi was among the great masters of this art style.
Basil William Robinson passed away in 2005.
Selected Publications
Basil Robinson wrote many books and articles about Asian art. Here are a few examples of the topics he covered:
- He wrote about Islamic art, including works found in the Keir collection.
- He published books on Persian paintings, including those in the India Office Library and the John Rylands Library.
- His work also covered Japanese art, such as books on Japanese sword-fittings and the Arts of the Japanese Sword.
- He wrote several books specifically about the artist Kuniyoshi and his warrior prints.
- He also contributed to books about Chinese cloisonné enamels and Persian drawings.
