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Benjamin Altman

1911 Encyclopedia Britannica

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"BENJAMIN ALTMAN (1840-1913), American merchant and art collector, was born July 12 1840 in New York City, and died there Oct. 7 1913. As a young man he became interested in early European paintings and in Oriental art. His collection of Chinese porcelains was among the finest and his Oriental rugs were remarkable. Of the works of Rembrandt, whom he admired above all other artists, he possessed probably the largest private collection ever assembled. Velazquez was well represented, as were Van Dyck, Cuyp, Ruysdael, Vermeer, and many others. These collections he bequeathed to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. Shortly before his death he secured the incorporation of the Altman Foundation, established for the welfare of the employees of the department store of B. Altman & Co., of which he was the head, thus crowning a career long devoted to unobtrusive philanthropy.