Sirarpie Der Nersessian is one of the most renowned Armenian art historians of all time – the feminist before feminism, the woman with sharp humor and an unbreakable sense of responsibility and devotion.
TEXT : Emma Harutyunyan
Emma Harutyunyan Art Historian, Curator
Der Nersessian was one of the world’s most accomplished early female Byzantinists. A distinguished scholar, her research primarily focused on illuminated manuscripts. She meticulously studied and cataloged 750 Armenian manuscripts preserved and exhibited in libraries and museums across various cities in the United States, Yerevan, Jerusalem, Paris, Vienna, Venice, Rome, Berlin, Beirut, Antelias, London, Munich, Tabriz, and Istanbul. Sirarpie also studied Christian monuments in Egypt, Palestine, and Syria.
Throughout her seventy years of research, she delved deeply into her subjects, avoiding guesswork or superficial analysis. Her investigations were not limited to a singular field; instead, they encompassed various facets of medieval civilization, drawing from her profound understanding of historical, liturgical, and religious texts, as well as a comprehensive grasp of material culture.
She pioneered Armenian studies in the United States, significantly advancing them in the West and Armenia. From their origins as obscure subspecialties within medieval studies, taught at only a handful of institutions in America, the fields of Armenian and Byzantine Art blossomed into thriving areas of study.
In 1960, Sirarpie became the first woman to be honored with the Order of Saint Gregory the Illuminator medal by His Holiness the Catholicos Vazgen I, Supreme Patriarch-Catholicos of All Armenians. She also received Viktor Hambartsumyan’s invitation to join the Armenian Academy of Sciences.
Early years
Sirarpie Véronique Der Nersessian was born on September 5, 1896, in Constantinople. Her father, Mihran Der Nersessian, was a businessman from a distinguished family in Karin. Her mother, Agapie Ormanian, was the daughter of Anton and Elisabeth Ormanian. Among her siblings were the notable priest and scholar Malachi Ormanian, a Patriarch of the Armenians of Constantinople.
The group of students at the École des Hautes Études in Paris, with Professor Gabriel Millet, 1929
Like many intelligent families in Constantinople, the Der Nersessians were quite knowledgeable and well-educated. Besides their native Armenian, they spoke French and English languages, played musical instruments, and loved poetry. Sirarpie enjoyed a blissful childhood, yet it was marred by her mother’s untimely passing in 1905. When their father, Mihran Der Nersessian, died in 1914, Sirarpie and her siblings became orphans just before the Armenian massacres in Constantinople and across the Ottoman Empire.
On April 24, 1915, when six hundred Armenian intellectuals were arrested in Constantinople, their aunt Evkiné Ormanian decided to take Sirarpie and her sister to Bulgaria, where they planned to stay for a few weeks. However, those few weeks turned into a lifetime of moving from one country to another. The two sisters, Arax and Sirarpie, remained each other’s strongest support throughout their lives. Arax became Sirarpie’s closest collaborator, translating her articles while also continuing her painting. She accompanied Sirarpie on her travels and photographed monuments and manuscripts necessary for the studies.
France
From Sofia, Sirarpie fled to Geneva, where she attended college and obtained her maturity diploma in 1917. Later, she moved to Paris to continue her education at the Sorbonne, studying under Gabriel Millet, a widely recognized scholar of Byzantine art.
Encouraged by Millet, in 1927, she decided to expand her focus to Armenian manuscripts. At that time, despite dozens of publications, Armenian manuscripts remained relatively unexplored and lacking comprehensive study. Her research journey on Armenian manuscripts began in Venice, at the Library of the Mekhitarist Fathers of Saint-Lazare, where she started her pioneering work in this field.
Speakers at the 1951 “Iconoclasm” Byzantine symposium, André Grabar, Sirarpie Der Nersessian, Paul Alexander, Francis Dvornik,
Albert M. Friend Jr. (seated), Milton Anastos, and Gerhart Ladner (left to right)
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USA
1930 brought a significant change to Sirarpie Der Nersessian’s life, marking the start of her American career that lasted until 1963. While she was finishing her studies in France, Wellesley College sought experienced scholars to teach Byzantine Art courses but couldn’t find suitable candidates within the United States.
After her colleagues’ recommendations, the Chairman of the Department of Arts at Wellesley, Myrtilla Avery, met Sirarpie in Paris. She was impressed by Der-Nersessian’s unique professional abilities and invited her to read the course at the college.
So, in 1930/31, Der Nersessian traveled to Wellesley to teach the first Byzantine art courses ever offered in a women’s college.
An article in the New York University Press highlighted Sirarpie Der Nersessian’s appointment, describing her as a scholar who has a deep interest in the world.“Miss Der Nersessian has small, dark, vivacious, and amiable eyes and speaks excellent English with a quaint foreign twist. She is cautious of interviewers. In reply to questions such as how she likes America, she is non-committal, remarking instead, “I do not wish to be like the gentleman who came to France prepared to write a book about the French, and who, on disembarking, saw a woman with red hair and promptly took out his note-book, jotting down ‘All French women have red hair!’ “She did confess, however, that she liked New England weather!”
Miss S. Der Nersissian at Dumbarton Oaks after a symposium with Prof. Milton Anastos,
Prof. Glanville Downey, Prof. A. Friend, Prof. Francis Dvornik, andProf
In 1936, she defended her two theses at the Sorbonne. Her thesis focused on illustrating the Roman of Barlaam and Joasaph studied in Greek manuscripts, Russian, and Arabic. The complementary dissertation was devoted to Armenian manuscripts from the 12th to 14th centuries from the Mekhitharist Library of Venice.
If there are rock stars in art history, Sirarpie Der Nersessian was certainly a headliner throughout her life. Her doctoral degree was awarded with the highest commendation, “Mention très honorable.” Her two theses were published in 1936 and 1937 across two volumes, each receiving an award. One can experience the atmosphere of her lengthy defense session, which lasted from 1:30 p.m. until 6 p.m., reading the descriptions of letters and testimonials. The French, Armenian, and American press all echoed the success of her study. In his letter, André Grabar expressed his joy: “I was truly happy to hear from the mouths of the greatest masters of our studies about the extent to which they appreciate and admire your remarkable work.” Her colleagues at Wellesley sent letters filled with phrases like “Bursting with pride” and “You are a winner.”
Separation
She served as the head of the department at Wellesley College during the war years, when many scholars arrived in the United States, including friends and colleagues of Sirarpie, which greatly benefited medieval and Byzantine studies. However, these years were also filled with worry and anguish as the war separated siblings Zareh, Arax, and Sirarpie Der Nersessian from each other.
Despite her personal worries, she remained dedicated to overseeing the entire department and prioritized her students, who were always at the forefront of her mind. She was recognized as an exceptional scholar by her students and embodied the department’s essence for them. Her charming demeanor, sense of humor, and approachability made her popular among students, yet she maintained high academic standards.
“I remember Miss Der Nersessian vividly, but no anecdotes! ... So what enchanted and fascinated me? I suspect it was clarity, clarity in the way she spoke, in the way she taught art history. I remember that somewhere about that time, she had word that her sister was alive in Paris, having heard nothing for the years of the war. There was an extra lightness in her face, but otherwise, she was a very private person,” one of her students remembers.
It remains unclear whether she enjoyed sharing anecdotes, but she always responded sharply and witty. When asked, “Where is your husband, Professor Der Nersessian?” she quipped, “I am the husband.”
Dumbarton Oaks
Sirarpie Der Nersessian was the first woman of her era to achieve a full professorship at Harvard. She held positions at the Harvard University Research Institute of Dumbarton Oaks during a crucial period when the institute aimed to establish itself as a prominent research center nationally. She became a Professor of Byzantine Art and Archaeology in 1946 and later held the Henri Focillon Professorship of Byzantine Art and Archaeology at Harvard University in 1953.
While residing at Dumbarton Oaks with her sister, their home became a welcoming space for visiting scholars from around the world. Their dinners were fondly remembered not just for the delicious food but also for the engaging company, where young individuals had the opportunity to interact with distinguished scholars in a relaxed setting. Just imagine being at a home party with renowned professionals in your field asking hundreds of questions and simultaneously discussing the vineyards of the Mosel.
During years of research at Dumbarton Oaks, Sirarpie gained a comprehensive understanding of the breadth of Armenian art and its influence on Byzantine and Western Art. She maintained a lifelong dedication to studying Cilician manuscripts from the 12th to 14th centuries, meticulously analyzing them in her monographs. A significant portion of her book, “Miniature Painting in the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia,” was devoted to a singular individual whom Der Nersessian repeatedly highlighted—she emphasized that Toros Roslin’s artistic prowess surpassed that of contemporary Byzantine examples in terms of quality. This significant period of illuminated manuscripts in Cilicia profoundly influenced neighboring Byzantium and is regarded as one of the finest examples of book illuminations from the Middle Ages.
One of Sirarpie’s most significant works, “L’art Armenien,” is a monumental folio comprising 270 pages with 185 illustrations. This comprehensive book synthesizes her research spanning over half a century, shedding light on Armenia’s rich artistic heritage in sculpture, painting, minor arts, architecture, and illuminated manuscripts.
Retirement
As a retired Professor Emerita at Harvard University, Der Nersessian would say, “Twelve months are not long enough, and certainly twenty-four hours per day are too short even when one is so-called retired.”
After retiring, she returned to Paris and took residence at Avenue de Versailles 120. Without delay, she began a close collaboration with the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, laying the groundwork for a long-term project that would occupy her for years: creating a collection of microfilms of ancient Armenian manuscripts preserved in the repositories of major libraries.
She continued her personal work initiated in the United States, focusing on the Holy Cross Church in Aghtamar (including sculptures, paintings, and tombstones), Armenian manuscripts from the Walters Art Gallery in Baltimore, and miniatures from Cilicia dating from the 12th to the 14th century.
She also began collaborating with Thames and Hudson on “The Armenians” – a new book in the Ancient People and Places series. Additionally, she reconnected with the École Pratique des Hautes Études, teaching courses focused on “Armenian religious art from the 4th to the 11th century” in 1963-1964 and on “The Art of the Christian East during the Middle Ages” in 1964-1965.
In 1969, she conducted research at the Maténadaran in Yerevan, where she met and encouraged young art historians in their work. She also visited Martiros Saryan’s workshop and explored various sites and monuments. Before her departure, Levon Khatchikian, the director of the Mashtots Matenadaran, presented her with the Medal of Saint Mesrop Mashtots in recognition of her contributions.
Sirarpi Der Nersessian in Armenia in 1970s with fellow scholars from Matenadaran Sirarpie Der Nersessian and Martiros Saryan
Last Years
Sirarpie Der Nersessian always supported new scholars, generously sharing her knowledge and experience. In her later years in Paris, her apartment welcomed old colleagues and students, where she often hosted afternoon tea with Armenian coffee. Even in her nineties, she remained active and enjoyed occasional indulgences like cigarettes and chocolate while discussing current events. However, beyond her close circle, Sirarpie Der Nersessian will be remembered most for her timeless books and articles, esteemed for their methodical approach and credible data, serving as models for future art scholars.
Sirarpie Der Nersessian worked tirelessly until her final days, reaching the age of 93. She was in the process of preparing for the publication of her book titled “The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia from the Twelfth Century to the Fourteenth” and also attended to the arrangements for posthumous ceremonies. Unfortunately, she decided to destroy a significant portion of her correspondence and arranged for a strictly private funeral, with the death announcement appearing in three newspapers after the funeral: Le Monde, Le Figaro, and the Armenian Daily Haratch.
After her passing, her books and manuscript files were sent to Armenia. Among the items found on her night table were a collection of poems by Armen Lubin, the latest book by Yves Ternon, and “Eternity” by Marguerite Yourcenar.
Sirarpie Der Nersessian and her sister, Arax Der Nersessian, 1962
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