Albert-Louis Gabriel (2 August 1883 – 23 December 1972) was a French architect, painter, archaeologist, art historian and traveller. He conducted archaeological works in Greece, Egypt, Turkey and study trips in Iraq, Iran and Syria. He taught art history and Islamic art at French and Turkish universities. He authored a number of books based on his research work.
Personal life
Albert Gabriel was born on 2 August 1883 in his maternal grandfather's house at
Cerisières
Cerisières () is a commune in the Haute-Marne department in north-eastern France.
See also
*Communes of the Haute-Marne department
The following is a list of the 426 communes in the French department of Haute-Marne.
The communes coopera ...
town of
Haute-Marne
Haute-Marne (; English: Upper Marne) is a department in the Grand Est region of Northeastern France. Named after the river Marne, its prefecture is Chaumont. In 2019, it had a population of 172,512.Department in France. His father was an experienced architect. He had a brother and a sister.
After completing his primary education in
Bar-sur-Aube
Bar-sur-Aube (, literally ''Bar on Aube (river), Aube'') is a Communes of France, commune and a Subprefectures in France, sub-prefecture in the Aube Departments of France, department in the Grand Est region of France.
Surrounded by hills and ...
, Gabriel chose his father's profession despite all contrary insistence. He studied Architecture at the Ecole nationale des beaux-arts (National School of Fine Art), and Literature at the
University of Paris
The University of Paris (), known Metonymy, metonymically as the Sorbonne (), was the leading university in Paris, France, from 1150 to 1970, except for 1793–1806 during the French Revolution. Emerging around 1150 as a corporation associated wit ...
(Sorbonne) at the same time. He graduated with the titles
Master of Architecture
The Master of Architecture (M.Arch. or MArch) is a graduate professional degree in architecture qualifying the graduate to move through the various stages of professional accreditation (internship, exams) that result in receiving a license.
Ove ...
Docteur ès lettres
Doctor of Letters (D.Litt., Litt.D., Latin: ' or '), also termed Doctor of Literature in some countries, is a terminal degree in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. In the United States, at universities such as Drew University, the degree ...
title from Sorbonne.
After his retirement, he lived in the father's villa at Bar-sur-Aube. In the more than twenty rooms, he stored his memoires, pictures, surveys and furniture he collected in Turkey, in addition to a large library. In winter months, he used to stay with his brother's house in Paris.
Gabriel, who remained unmarried like his siblings, died on 23 December 1972 at age 89. Following the religious ceremony held at the Church of Saint-Pierre, he was buried in the town cemetery on 27 December.
Architect in Archaeology
Gabriel's success started already in the early years of his professional life. In 1903, he was honored with the ''Jean Leclaire'' Award of the Fine Arts Academy. He started to work as an architect at the 1846-established French Archeology Institute in
Athens
Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...
, Greece. Between 1908 and 1911, doing his assignment on the island of
Delos
Delos (; ; ''Dêlos'', ''Dâlos''), is a small Greek island near Mykonos, close to the centre of the Cyclades archipelago. Though only in area, it is one of the most important mythological, historical, and archaeological sites in Greece. ...
(
Cyclades
The CYCLADES computer network () was a French research network created in the early 1970s. It was one of the pioneering networks experimenting with the concept of packet switching and, unlike the ARPANET, was explicitly designed to facilitate i ...
), where he was in charge of drawing the building surveys in the excavationson, he learned an environment that would guide all his work.
In 1908, he travelled for the first time to
Istanbul
Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
,
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
(today Turkey). He took part with his
watercolor painting
Watercolor (American English) or watercolour (Commonwealth English; see spelling differences), also ''aquarelle'' (; from Italian diminutive of Latin 'water'), is a painting method"Watercolor may be as old as art itself, going back to the S ...
s and surveys at the French Artists Exhibition (Salon des Artistes Français) held in Germany and Spain in 1910, and received an
honorable mention
An award, sometimes called a distinction, is given to a recipient as a token of recognition of excellence in a certain field. When the token is a medal, ribbon or other item designed for wearing, it is known as a decoration.
An award may be d ...
. The following year, he received a second place medal for the "Hellenistic houses surveys of Delos", and he was also granted a state scholarship for a study trip. In 1911, Gabriel was given the task of detecting the medieval works, such as the historical castle, other buildings and structures, left by the
Knights Hospitaller
The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), is a Catholic military order. It was founded in the crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem in the 12th century and had headquarters there ...
on the island of
Rhodes
Rhodes (; ) is the largest of the Dodecanese islands of Greece and is their historical capital; it is the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, ninth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Administratively, the island forms a separ ...
, which was about to leave the for nearly four centuries Ottoman rule at that time. Rhodes was seized by Italians in 1912 during the
Italo-Turkish War
The Italo-Turkish (, "Tripolitanian War", , "War of Libya"), also known as the Turco-Italian War, was fought between the Kingdom of Italy and the Ottoman Empire from 29 September 1911 to 18 October 1912. As a result of this conflict, Italy captur ...
. Gabriel worked on Rhodes until 1914, the outbreak of
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. During WWI, he served as a naval reserve officer in the
French Navy
The French Navy (, , ), informally (, ), is the Navy, maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the four military service branches of History of France, France. It is among the largest and most powerful List of navies, naval forces i ...
.
In 1919, he returned to his profession, and worked at excavations in
Al-Fustat
Fustat (), also Fostat, was the first capital of Egypt under Muslim rule, though it has been integrated into Cairo. It was built adjacent to what is now known as Old Cairo by the Rashidun Muslim general 'Amr ibn al-'As immediately after the Mus ...
, Egypt. Until 1920, he was helpful to Egyptian archaeologists in unearthing the city of Fustat, the first capital of Egypt under Muslim rule. Based on his research and surveys about Rhodes and his work on Al-Fustat, he received a Doctor's degree in 1921. Between 1920 and 1922, he continued his work on Rhodes, and restored the "Auberge de France" into its original form, an
inn
Inns are generally establishments or buildings where travelers can seek lodging, and usually, food and drink. Inns are typically located in the country or along a highway. Before the advent of motorized transportation, they also provided accomm ...
built and used by the Knights Hospitaller, and used as an office by French consul, and later as a family house by Ottoman Turks. His research on Rhodes got published in two volumes under the title La Cité de Rhodes, Topographie, Architecture Militaire (Paris 1921) and La Cité de Rhodes, Architecture Civile et Religieuse (Paris 1923). After seriously damaged by an attack of a British bomber plane in 1945, the building was restored again by Gabriel between 1946 and 1950. As a French officer in 1922, he toured in the old
Lycia
Lycia (; Lycian: 𐊗𐊕𐊐𐊎𐊆𐊖 ''Trm̃mis''; , ; ) was a historical region in Anatolia from 15–14th centuries BC (as Lukka) to 546 BC. It bordered the Mediterranean Sea in what is today the provinces of Antalya and Muğ ...
and
Cilicia
Cilicia () is a geographical region in southern Anatolia, extending inland from the northeastern coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. Cilicia has a population ranging over six million, concentrated mostly at the Cilician plain (). The region inclu ...
regions, southern
Anatolia
Anatolia (), also known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula in West Asia that makes up the majority of the land area of Turkey. It is the westernmost protrusion of Asia and is geographically bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean ...
. Rhodes surveys, which were exhibited in the French artists' exhibition in 1923, enabled him to receive the first prize, and the L''ouis Fould'' Award of the Fine Arts Academy the same year.
Academic career
In 1923, Gabriel was appointed
Associate professor
Associate professor is an academic title with two principal meanings: in the North American system and that of the ''Commonwealth system''.
In the ''North American system'', used in the United States and many other countries, it is a position ...
of
Art history
Art history is the study of Work of art, artistic works made throughout human history. Among other topics, it studies art’s formal qualities, its impact on societies and cultures, and how artistic styles have changed throughout history.
Tradit ...
at the Faculty of Letters of the
University of Caen Normandy
The University of Caen Normandy (French: ''Université de Caen Normandie''), also known as Unicaen, is a public university in Caen, France.
History
The institution was founded in 1432 by John of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Bedford, the first rector ...
, France. In 1925, he was promoted to full professorhip for Art History to serve in the Faculty of Letters of
University of Strasbourg
The University of Strasbourg (, Unistra) is a public research university located in Strasbourg, France, with over 52,000 students and 3,300 researchers. Founded in the 16th century by Johannes Sturm, it was a center of intellectual life during ...
, France. The same year, he worked in the ancient city of
Palmyra
Palmyra ( ; Palmyrene dialect, Palmyrene: (), romanized: ''Tadmor''; ) is an ancient city in central Syria. It is located in the eastern part of the Levant, and archaeological finds date back to the Neolithic period, and documents first menti ...
, and undertook study tours in the French Mandate Syria. In 1926, he was appointed Professor of Archaeology and Art History at the Faculty of Letters in
Istanbul University
Istanbul University, also known as University of Istanbul (), is a Public university, public research university located in Istanbul, Turkey. Founded by Mehmed II on May 30, 1453, a day after Fall of Constantinople, the conquest of Constantinop ...
, the only university at that time in the Republic of Turkey. His lesson were simultaneously interpreted from French into Turkish language for students. He served at this post until 1930. He also conducted research work on Turkish architecture and art in Anatolia upon request of the Ministry of National Education that lasted with interruptions until the
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
years. His findings cbecame the subject of his important works introducing Anatolian Turkish art. He published papers on the mosques of Istanbul, the art history of
Ottoman miniature
Ottoman miniature ( Turkish: ''Osmanlı minyatürü'') is a style of illustration found in Ottoman manuscripts, often depicting portraits or historic events. Its unique style was developed from multiple cultural influences, such as the Persian ...
s and the topography of the city.
In 1941 after his return home, he was appointed professor of History of Islamic Oriental Arts at the
Collège de France
The (), formerly known as the or as the ''Collège impérial'' founded in 1530 by François I, is a higher education and research establishment () in France. It is located in Paris near La Sorbonne. The has been considered to be France's most ...
in Paris, France. He served at this post until his retirement in 1953. In 1943, he published a book on the "Turkish Castled on the Bosphorus". In 1956, he published Turkish art in
Bursa
Bursa () is a city in northwestern Turkey and the administrative center of Bursa Province. The fourth-most populous city in Turkey and second-most populous in the Marmara Region, Bursa is one of the industrial centers of the country. Most of ...
, a former capital of the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
, in two big volumes. Based on his archaeological research in
Phrygia
In classical antiquity, Phrygia ( ; , ''Phrygía'') was a kingdom in the west-central part of Anatolia, in what is now Asian Turkey, centered on the Sangarios River.
Stories of the heroic age of Greek mythology tell of several legendary Ph ...
, particularly in Midas City, he published his work's ''Exploration archéologique en Phrygie'' ("Archaeological Exploration in Phrtgia") first volume in 1952 and the second volume in 1965.
French Archaeology Institut in Istanbul
Upon the initiative of Gabriel, the French Government provided in 1931 financial support for the establishment of the French Archaeology Institute within the Consulate General of France in Istanbul. He became the director of the Institute, and served at this post until his return to France in March 1941 due to WWII. In Mai 1946, he went to Istanbul again, and took over the director post at the institute a second time, and served officially until 1956 while being present in the institute rarely. From 1951 until 1956, he published the annual preidical ''Anadolu'', which contained archaeological and art historical research work in Turkey.
In 1932, Gabriel conducted research work in Southeastern Anatolia Region upon request of the Turkish Ministry of National Education. He undertook study a trip to Iraq and Iran in 1934, and did research on the
Jameh Mosque of Isfahan
The Jāmeh Mosque of Isfahān or Jāme' Mosque of Isfahān ( ''Masjid-e-Jāmeh Isfahān''), also known as the Atiq Mosque () and the Friday Mosque of Isfahān (), is an historic congregational mosque (''Jāmeh''), located in Isfahan, Iran. The m ...
. In 1936, he toured in Syria.
Honours and Memberships
* 1903 – ''Jean Leclaire'' Award of the Fine Arts Academy, Paris, France,
* 1923 – ''Louis Fould'' Award of the Fine Arts Academy, Paris, France,
* 1932 – Member of the
German Archaeological Institute
The German Archaeological Institute (, ''DAI'') is a research institute in the field of archaeology (and other related fields). The DAI is a "federal agency" under the Federal Foreign Office, Federal Foreign Office of Germany.
Status, tasks and ...
,
* 1933 – Corresponding member of the
Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres
The () is a French learned society devoted to history, founded in February 1663 as one of the five academies of the . The academy's scope was the study of ancient inscriptions (epigraphy) and historical literature (see Belles-lettres).
History ...
.
* 1940 – ''Honorary member'' of the
Turkish Historical Society
The Turkish Historical Society (; TTK) is a research society studying the history of Turkey and the Turkish people, founded in 1931 by the initiative of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, with headquarters in Ankara, Turkey. It has been described as "the Ke ...
,
* 1950 – ''Prof. honoris causa'' from
Ankara University
Ankara University () is a public university, public research university in Ankara, the capital of Turkey. It was the first higher education institution founded in Turkey after the History of the Republic of Turkey, formation of the Turkish republ ...
, Turkey,
* 1955 – ''Honorary citizen'' of Istanbul, Turkey
* 1955 – ''Honorary citizen'' of
Bursa
Bursa () is a city in northwestern Turkey and the administrative center of Bursa Province. The fourth-most populous city in Turkey and second-most populous in the Marmara Region, Bursa is one of the industrial centers of the country. Most of ...
, Turkey.
* 1960 – ''Honorary member of
Royal Academies for Science and the Arts of Belgium
The Royal Academies for Science and the Arts of Belgium (RASAB) is a non-governmental association that promotes and organises science and the arts in Belgium by coordinating the national and international activities of its constituent academies su ...
,
* 1968 – ''Doctor honoris causa'' from Istanbul University, Turkey.
* ''Chevaliers'' of the
Légion d'honneur
The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...