Bruce Cole

Bruce Cole was an American art historian, academic administrator, and public servant who served as the seventh chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities. A distinguished scholar of Italian Renaissance art, he held professorships at several major universities before his presidential appointment to the NEH by George W. Bush, where he championed large-scale public programs in history and civics. Following his government service, he served on the board of the American Revolution Center and as a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C..

Early life and education

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, he developed an early interest in art and history. He completed his undergraduate studies at Western Reserve University, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree. He then pursued a Master of Arts in art history at Oberlin College, known for its strong programs in the humanities. Cole earned his Doctor of Philosophy from Bryn Mawr College, where he studied under renowned scholars, solidifying his specialization in Italian Renaissance painting and fresco techniques.

Academic career

Cole began his teaching career at the University of Rochester before joining the faculty of Indiana University Bloomington, where he spent the majority of his academic life and became a Distinguished Professor of Fine Arts. His scholarly work focused on artists such as Agnolo Gaddi, Pietro Lorenzetti, and Masaccio, and he authored numerous influential books that examined the intersection of art, religion, and society in Tuscany and Florence. He also held visiting appointments at institutions including the University of California, Los Angeles and served on the boards of several academic and cultural organizations dedicated to preserving Western civilization.

National Endowment for the Humanities

Nominated by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the United States Senate in 2001, he led the National Endowment for the Humanities for eight years, becoming one of its longest-serving chairmen. During his tenure, he launched major initiatives like We the People, a program designed to strengthen the teaching of American history and culture, and Picturing America, which provided educational resources on American art to schools and libraries. He consistently advocated for the agency before the United States Congress, emphasizing the foundational importance of the humanities in democracy and civic life, and worked closely with the White House on cultural policy.

Later career and legacy

After leaving the NEH in 2009, Cole was appointed by President Bush to the National Council on the Humanities. He served as the president and chief executive officer of the American Revolution Center, later the Museum of the American Revolution, in Philadelphia. He was also a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C., and served on the board of directors for the American Friends of the Louvre. Cole passed away in New York City in 2018; his legacy is marked by his steadfast commitment to public engagement with the humanities, his scholarly contributions to Renaissance art history, and his leadership in fostering national programs on American history.

Selected works

* *Agnolo Gaddi* (1977) * *Sienese Painting in the Age of the Renaissance* (1985) * *Italian Art, 1250–1550: The Relation of Renaissance Art to Life and Society* (1987) * *The Renaissance Artist at Work: From Pisano to Titian* (1983) * *Titian and Venetian Painting, 1450–1590* (1999) * *The Informed Eye: Understanding Masterpieces of Art* (1999)

Category:American art historians Category:National Endowment for the Humanities officials Category:1938 births Category:2018 deaths