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Fig 1. George Blumenthal.
Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art archives

George Blumenthal (1858-1941)

George Blumenthal (1858-1941) was born in Frankfurt-am-Main, passion for European art had both an academic and acquiring nature,
Germany but moved to New York as a child and spent the rest of his life her husband’s approach focused on the latter. Between 1926 and
there. He was a highly successful banker, serving as a Senior Partner 1930, Stella Rubinstein- Bloch published the contents of the couple’s
at Lazard Frères for twenty-one years, where he specialized in foreign holdings in 6 volumes titled Catalogue of the Collection of George and
currency exchange. He retired from banking in 1925 to devote himself to Florence Blumenthal, New York. Mr. Blumenthal’s enthusiasm for the
his two passions: art and medicine. In these areas, he was particularly art led him to become a Trustee of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
dedicated to the American Hospital in Paris, the Mount Sinai Hospital in 1909, a member of its Executive Committee in 1910, the Chairman
in New York City, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. He joined the of the Executive Committee in 1932, and eventually the Museum’s
Board of the Mount Sinai Hospital in 1892 and served as its President seventh President in 1934, a position he held until died in 1941. In 1928,
from 1910 to 1938. He donated $2 million to the Hospital. For many Blumenthal gave $1 million to the institution, and in 1934 he lent his
years, he would spend half of each day at Mount Sinai Hospital and personal collection to an exhibition titled Masterpieces in the Collection
the other half at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It was his first wife, of George Blumenthal. In his bequest, he left to the Museum all his
Florence Meyer (1870-1930), whom he married in 1889, that inspired works of art dating before 1720, and the house itself. For the latter, he
Blumenthal’s interest in art. After their son died at the age of eleven, provided specific instructions that the superb Spanish Renaissance patio
he encouraged her to study art history, which she did under Bernard from the palace of Vélez Blanco, including the stained glass, boiserie’s,
Berenson (1865-1959), the famed scholar in Italian art, particularly that and gothic mantels that had been incorporated into the patio’s walls,
of the late Gothic and Renaissance periods. Berenson also advised be moved from his home and installed prominently in the Museum; and
several prominent collectors of the time. While Mrs. Blumenthal’s that the Museum have the remainder of the house disassembled, the

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