Enriqueta Harris facts for kids

Enriqueta Harris Frankfort (born May 17, 1910 – died April 22, 2006) was a British art historian and writer. She was an expert in Spanish art.

Enriqueta was born in London. Her father was English, and her mother was Spanish. She studied languages and art history at University College London. Later, she earned a special art degree.

She traveled to Spain to study how the artist Caravaggio influenced Spanish painters. Her first book came out in 1938. During the Spanish Civil War, she helped find homes for child refugees. She also worked to keep Spain neutral during World War II.

After the war, she worked at the Warburg Institute. She became known for her amazing work on Spanish paintings. She received many awards for her contributions.

About Enriqueta's Life

Her Early Years

Enriqueta Harris Frankfort was born in Hampstead, London, on May 17, 1910. Her father, Lionel Harris, was an art dealer who specialized in Spanish paintings. Her mother, Enriqueta Rodriguez, was Spanish.

Enriqueta grew up surrounded by art. Her older brother, Tomás Harris, was also involved in art and intelligence during World War II.

In 1928, she started studying Italian and French at University College London. In her second year, the university began offering art history courses. Enriqueta was one of the first students to take them.

She finished her first degree in 1931. She then continued her studies in London. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1934. Her special project was about artists who followed the famous painter Francisco Goya.

Her Amazing Career

With a special grant, Enriqueta traveled to Spain. She wanted to research how Caravaggio's style affected Spanish paintings in the 1600s. While there, she also taught part-time at the Courtauld Institute of Art.

It was hard for women to find museum jobs back then. But Enriqueta met other art historians in Spain. She became friends with Diego Angulo Íñiguez, who later directed the Museo del Prado.

In 1938, her first book, The Golden Age of Spanish Art, was published. As the Spanish Civil War ended, she helped find temporary homes for Basque child refugees in England. She also worked for the British government. Her job was to encourage Spain to stay neutral during World War II.

Even with all this work, Enriqueta continued her research. She spent six months as a fellow at New York University. She stayed in touch with friends during the war. She visited them, helped with their photo collections, and worked in their gardens.

After the war ended in 1945, she returned to the Warburg Institute. In 1947, she was offered a job in the institute's Photographic Collection. There, she met Henri Frankfort, a famous archaeologist and the institute's director.

They married in 1952. Sadly, their marriage ended two years later when Henri Frankfort passed away. Enriqueta then returned to her job at the Warburg Institute. She spent many years reviewing books and visiting art exhibitions. She also wrote new articles about the life and paintings of Diego Velázquez.

Later Years and Recognition

Enriqueta was part of the Royal Academy Winter Exhibition's committee in 1963–64. She put together many articles about Goya that shared new information about the painter. In 1969, she published a book about Goya's life and work.

The next year, she announced her retirement from the university. Her book about Velázquez was published in 1982. In her later years, arthritis made it harder for her to travel and work in libraries. But she still helped younger scholars with her vast knowledge.

She also helped fund lecture series at University College London. She supported fellowships at the Warburg Institute.

Enriqueta's work on Spanish paintings was highly praised in Spain. She became a member of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando in Madrid. In 1989, she received the Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts from King Juan Carlos I. In 2002, she received the Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic.

A special tribute to her was published in 2002 by the Friends of the Prado Museum Foundation. Enriqueta Harris died on April 22, 2006, at the age of 95. She is remembered for her important contributions to art history. The Warburg Institute keeps her personal papers and photographs related to her work.

See also

In Spanish: Enriqueta Harris para niños