Maxim Karolik

Maxim Karolik (1893–1963) was an opera singer by profession who was notable as an art collector and donor. Although generally unsuccessful as a singer, he married into one of Boston, Massachusetts's wealthiest families. On February 2, 1928, he married Martha Catharine Codman (1858–1948). He made a hobby of collecting early American antiques and art. Karolik was guided in his purchases by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, to which he later donated his collection. He was largely responsible for spurring interest in early 19th-century American art. In addition, Karolik purchased, for the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, one well-known American textile, the Pictorial Quilt 1898 stitched by Harriet Powers (MFA accession no. 64.619).

Karolik recorded Russian Art Songs, thirty songs collected in a three-album set from Unicorn Records in Boston. A 48-page book that came with the album set included an introductory essay by Nicholas Slonimsky titled "Russian Music in Art Songs."

Further reading

• Staff writer. "Boston's Golden Maxim". Time, December 22, 1941.
• Staff writer. "Definitely American". Time, October 15, 1951.
• Maxim Karolik, 1893-1963. Boston Museum of Fine Arts (1964).
• "Maxim's Mission". Time December 28, 1962.
• Troyen, Carol. "The Incomparable Max: Maxim Karolik and the Taste for American Art". American Art, Vol. 7, No. 3 (Summer, 1993), pp. 64–87.
• Troyen, Carol. "Maxim Karolik folk art". Antiques, April 2001.