Eilenberg: art collector

John Baez

A friend of mine writes:

Those in your category theory course may be interested to know that Samuel Eilenberg was far more than a great mathematician. He was also an expert in antique South Asian and SE Asian bronzes and stone sculpture. This sort of endeavor requires considerable knowledge of iconographies, patenation of metals and alloys, and regional history. He was well known in the Asian art collecting community and had a major collection and considerable following. He was affectionately known amongst South Asian art collectors as Sammy. He is sorely missed by the art world as well as the mathematics community. A link to a free download of a museum catalog representing a portion of his collection follows below.

Best regards,

Robert Schlesinger

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/metpublications/the_lotus_transcendent_indian_and_southeast_asian_art_from_the_samuel_eilenberg_collection

Pierre Prado

amazing catalog . .. .when it possible , please transmit to your friend my deep gratitude for his decision on been spreading it.