Solomon R. Guggenheim

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Solomon Robert Guggenheim (February 2, 1861November 3, 1949) was an American art collector and philanthropist.

He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, son of Meyer Guggenheim and brother to Simon, Benjamin, Daniel and four others. Following studies in Switzerland, he returned to the United States to work in the family mining business, later founding the Yukon Gold Company in Alaska. He retired in 1919 to become an art collector and in 1937 he established the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation to foster the appreciation of modern art. He died in 1949.

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and named in his honor, was built between 1955 and 1959. Many of the pieces in the museum's collection are from Solomon's personal collection. Amongst his children were Eleanor Guggenheim (later Lady Castle Stewart), and Gertrude Guggenheim.

[edit] See also