Dr. Franklin Toker
Department
of the History of Art and Architecture
Frick Fine Arts Building
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh PA 15260.7610 USA
Tel. 412.648.2419
Fax 412.648.2792
Online Courses
email:
FToker@pitt.edu
President Emeritus of the Society of Architectural Historians, Franklin Toker is a Professor of Art and Architecture at the University of Pittsburgh, where he teaches urban history and the history of Medieval and American architecture. An art historian and Medieval archaeologist, Dr. Toker has published three books and several dozen scholarly articles on topics from Roman archaeology, Gothic architectural drawings, and Renaissance architectural theory, to the work of H.H. Richardson, Post- Modern architecture, and American urban history. In 1971 his first book, The Church of Notre-Dame in Montréal, won the Hitchcock Award as the most distinguished new book on the history of architecture. (Later published in a French edition, it was recently reissued in a second English edition by McGill-Queen's University Press.) In 1980 the College Art Association awarded Toker's Art Bulletin article on "Florence Cathedral: The Design Stage" the Porter Prize for the best essay on any branch of art. Dr. Toker subsequently held appointments as a Member of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, New Jersey, a Guggenheim Fellow, a Fellow of Villa I Tatti in Florence, and a Senior Fellow of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Born in Montréal in 1944 to a family that has lived for seven generations in French Canada, Franklin Toker obtained degrees in Fine Arts from McGill University, Oberlin College, and Harvard University. His best-known scholarly work was as director of the archaeological excavations below the Duomo, or cathedral of S. Maria del Fiore in Florence, from 1969 to 1974 and in 1980. He is now at work on a four-volume archaeological history of Medieval Florence and its cathedral that will incorporate the results of this work. On his American side, Toker's Pittsburgh: An Urban Portrait has just gone into its third printing. It received an Award of Merit from the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation, and is currently published by the University of Pittsburgh.
Outside of his academic work, Prof. Toker is active in civic improvements in Pittsburgh and in architectural and urban preservation. He frequently lectures on architectural and urban topics to national and international audiences, which have included India, China, and Japan. He actively pursues research in Italy as well: in 1989 he was the first non-Italian called to teach art history at the University of Florence.
Other honors and
awards:
| 1993,
1983, 1982 |
University
of Pittsburgh, College of General Studies Teaching Award |
| 1987 |
Pittsburgh
History and Landmarks Foundation: Award of Merit for Pittsburgh: An
Urban Portrait |
| 1984 |
University
of Pittsburgh: Nomination for Chancellor's Distinguished Teaching Award |
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| 1994 |
Rockefeller
Foundation: Bellagio Study Center Fellowship |
| 1993 |
McCune
Foundation: research grant |
| 1992 |
Consiglio
Nazionale delle Ricerche, Italy: publishing grant |
| 1992-94 |
National
Endowment for the Humanities: Interpretive Research Grant |
| 1989 |
University
of Pittsburgh: Research Development Grant |
| 1985-86 |
Institute
for Advanced Study, Princeton NJ: Membership |
| 1985 |
National
Endowment for the Humanities: Senior Fellowship |
| 1979 |
National
Endowment for the Humanities: General Research Grant |
| 1979 |
Guggenheim
Foundation: Fellowship |
| 1972-74 |
Harvard
University Center for Italian Renaissance Studies (Villa I Tatti), Florence:
Fellowship |
| 1969-73 |
Committee
for the Rescue of Italian Art: Fellowship |
| 1967-68 |
Canada
Council: Fellowship |
| 1965 |
Kress
Foundation: Fellowship |
Additional published
information:
| 1996 |
Who's
Who in America 50th edition |
| 1995 |
Who's
Who in American Art 21st edition |
| 1994 |
Dictionary
of International Biography
23d edition |
| 1989 |
Brendan
Gill, "The Sky Line: The Malady of Gigantism", The New Yorker,
January:73-77 (includes review of Pittsburgh: An Urban Portrait) |
| 1987 |
Bryant
Gumble, NBC Today, 18 May |
| 1985 |
Contemporary
Authors, rev. ser. vol. 15:429-30 |
| 1982 |
Directory
of American Scholars I:771-72 |
| 1980 |
Henry
Tanner, "Cathedral Design Credited to Sculptor," New York Times,
7 May |
| 1977 |
Ada
Louise Huxtable, "The Current Age of Rediscovery," New York Times,
27 November |
Professional papers
to universities and learned societies in North America, Europe, and Asia
| 1965 |
Mid-West
College Art Association, Lexington KY (Notre-Dame de Montreal) |
| 1971 |
Kunsthistorisches
Institut, Florence (Excavations at Florence Cathedral) |
| 1972 |
Harvard
University Center for Renaissance Studies, Florence ("Un Battistero sotto
il Battistero di Firenze") |
| 1973 |
Harvard
University Center, Florence ("Il disegno di architettura nell'epoca gotica") |
| 1974 |
Université
di Roma, Istituto di Storia dell'Arte (Medieval archaeology) Harvard University
Center, Florence ("Il proggetto arnolfiano per S. maria del Fiore") |
| 1975 |
Carnegie-Mellon
University (Gothic architectural drawings) |
| 1977 |
Yale
University (Ancient synagogues) |
| 1979 |
Carleton
University (Excavations in medieval Florence) Queen's University (A philosophy
of architectural restoration) |
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Concordia
University (Excavations in medieval Florence) Cornell University (Gothic
architectural drawings) |
| 1980 |
University
of London, Department of Art History (Arnolfo's project for Florence cathedral) |
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Courtauld
Institute, London (Gothic architectural drawings) |
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British-Italian
Society, London (Early Christian Florence) Kunsthistorisches Institut,
Florence ("Alla ricerca di Arnolfo architetto: S. Croce e S. Maria del
Fiore") |
| 1981 |
Musée
des Beaux-Arts, Montreal ("Notre-Dame de Montreal: mirroir d'une epoque") |
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M.I.T.
(Urban design in medieval Siena) |
| 1982 |
University
of Pittsburgh: Phi Beta Kappa lecture (Evidence for a reconstruction of
the original project for Florence cathedral) |
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Oberlin
College (Urban design in medieval Siena) |
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The
Pennsylvania State University (Arnolfo's project for Florence cathedral) |
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National
Gallery, Washington, Center for Advanced Studies in the Visual Arts: Symposium
on Gothic Architectural Drawings ("The 'Working' Drawing of a Gothic Architect
in 1340") |
| 1983 |
University
of California at Berkeley (Social structure of medieval palaces) |
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Stanford
University (New excavations at Florence cathedral) |
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Archaeological
Institute of America lectures given at the University of Cincinnati, |
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The
Ohio State University, Wittenberg College, and Miami University of Ohio
(Urban analysis of medieval Siena, excavations at Florence cathedral) |
|
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Duke
University (Arnolfo at S. Croce in Florence) |
| 1985 |
Institute
for Advanced Study, Princeton (Excavations at S. Maria del Fiore) |
| 1986 |
Joint
Colloquium: Princeton University/Institute for Advanced Study ("The Idea
of Pittsburgh") Université de Montréal ("Pittsburgh: Une
renaissance et demie") |
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Université
Laval, Quebec ("Pittsburgh: Une renaissance et demie") |
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Columbia
University, Buell Center for the Study of American Architecture (Origins
of Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater) |
| 1987 |
Conference
on urban psychology, C.G.Jung Educational Center of Pittsburgh ("Has Pittsburgh
an urban soul?") |
| 1988 |
Getty
Information Program (Symposium on Art Historical Method, Chicago) |
| 1989 |
Universita
di Firenze, Dipartimento di Storia Medievale (Historical documentation
from the excavations below S. Maria del Fiore) |
| 1990 |
The
Frick Collection, New York (H.C. Frick as builder) |
|
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University
of Pittsburgh: Fine Arts Faculty Lecture (Discoveries on H.C. Frick as
patron of architecture) |
|
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Department
of the History of Architecture, University of Rome: "L'antica cattedrale
di S. Reparata: un edificio sconosciuto nella Firenze paleocristiana"; |
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"Risultati
degli scavi a S. Maria del Fiore"; "La figura dell'architetto e il cantiere
nel tardo medioevo"; "Il Battistero di S. Giovanni a Firenze" |
| 1992 |
School
of Architecture, Anna University, Madras, India: "A Tendency to Eclecticism:
the Early Christian and Gothic Cathedrals of Florence, Italy" |
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School
of Architecture, Tsinghua University, Beijing, People's Republic of China:
"Florence Cathedral in the Light of Excavations" |
|
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School
of Architecture, University of Tokyo: "Florence Cathedral in the Light
of Excavations" |
| 1994 |
Fondazione
Montanelli, Fucecchio (Florence): "I risultati degli scavi nel Duomo di
Firenze: una nuova pagina per la storia della Toscana" |
Papers delivered
at national conferences
| 1975 |
College
Art Association, Washington ("A Baptistery below the Baptistery of Florence") |
| 1976 |
American
Historical Association, Washington (Historical import of medieval archaeology) |
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College
Art Association, Chicago (Gothic architectural drawings) |
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North-East
Museums Conference, Pittsburgh (Origins of Pittsburgh) |
| 1983 |
Society
of Architectural Historians, Phoenix (Political implications of medieval
urban planning) |
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Medieval/Renaissance
Studies Conference, SUNY, Binghamton NY ("Early |
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Medieval
Florence between History and Archaeology") |
| 1985 |
Local
chairman, Society of Architectural Historians, Pittsburgh, and keynote
speaker ("Pittsburgh, or, Building Hell with the Lid Off") |
| 1987 |
Society
of Architectural Historians, San Francisco (Session chair: "The City and
its Monuments") |
| 1988 |
College
Art Association, Houston ("Arnolfo di Cambio: A Medieval Original") |
| 1993 |
Chairman
of the Annual Meeting, Society of Architectural Historians, Charleston |
| 1994 |
Presidential
Address: "On his own [architectural] ignorance, and that of others," |
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Annual
Meeting, Society of Architectural Historians, Philadelphia |
Papers delivered
at international conferences
| 1975 |
IX
International Conference of Christian Archaeology, Vatican City (Basilica
of S. Reparata in Florence) |
| 1980 |
International
Conference, "Roma Anno 1300," Rome ("Arnolfo di Cambio a S. Maria del Fiore
in Firenze") |
| 1988 |
AIA/RIBA
International Conference, "Remaking Cities," Pittsburgh (Urban design of
Pittsburgh) |
| 1989 |
XXVII
International Congress of Art Historians, Strasbourg (Role of Gothic architectural
drawings in Italy) |
| 1990 |
International
Conference on the 700th Anniversary of the Founding of the Cathedral of
Orvieto ("Fra patrono e cantiere: gli architetti delle cattedrali gotiche") |
Publications--Books:
| 1970 |
The
Church of Notre-Dame in Montreal: An Architectural History Montreal and
London, McGill-Queen's University
Press, 184 pp.; L'Eglise Notre-Dame de Montreal: son architecture, son
passe, 1981 (Montreal, Hurtubise
HMH, 302 pp.); second English edition revised, 1991 (McGill-Queen's University
Press). |
| 1974 |
S.
Reparata: L'Antica Cattedrale Fiorentin Florence,
Bonechi Editore, 111 pp. (with G. Morozzi, J. Herrmann) |
| 1986 |
Pittsburgh:
An Urban Portrait. University
Park and London: The Pennsylvania State University Press (2d ed. University
of Pittsburgh Press, 1995), 352 pp.; |
Publications--Articles,
chapters:
| 1967 |
A
note on the urban history of Florence, in Giuseppe Zocchi's Views of
Florence (James S.Ackerman, ed.)
New York, Walker:10-11 |
| 1968 |
"Slidetapes
for the Art Museum," Museum News 47:50-55. |
| 1970 |
"James
O'Donnell: An Irish Georgian in America," Journal of the Society of
Architectural Historians 29:132-143. |
| 1971 |
"La
Chiesa di S. Reparata fu costruita dai Bizantini?," La Nazione, Florence,
30 April 1971 |
| 1972 |
"Gli
scavi sotto il Duomo di Firenze," Notiziario di Archeologia Medievale 2:2-4 |
| 1973 |
"An
Umbrian Abbey: San Paolo di Valdiponte," Papers of the British School
at Rome 40:146-195 (with I. Adams, A. Luttrell) |
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| 1975 |
"Excavations
below the Cathedral of Florence, 1965-1974," Gesta 14/2:17-36 |
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"Scavi
del Complesso Altomedievale di S. Reparata sotto il Duomo di Firenze, Archeologia
Medievale 2:161-190 |
| 1976 |
"A
Baptistery below the Baptistery of Florence," Art Bulletin 58:157-167 |
| 1977 |
"Why
Richardson?" in H.H. Richardson: The Allegheny County Courthouse &
Jail. Pittsburgh: County
of Allegheny:17-21 |
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"Richardson
en concours:The Pittsburgh Courthouse," Carnegie Magazine 51/9:13
-29 |
| 1978 |
"Florence
Cathedral: The Design Stage," Art Bulletin 60:214-230 |
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| 1979 |
"An
Early Christian Church below the Cathedral of Florence," Atti IX Congresso
Internazionale di Archeologia Cristiana. Vatican City, II:929-933 |
|
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"In
the Grand Manner: The P&LE Station in Pittsburgh," Carnegie Magazine
53/3:4-21 |
|
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"Philip
Johnson and PPG: A Date with History," Progressive Architecture
60 (July):60-61 |
|
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The
Roots of Architecture in Allegheny: A Guide to Research Sources. Pittsburgh:Historical
Society of Western Pennsylvania, 13 pp. (with H. Wilson) |
|
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Downtown
at CMU: Architectural Studies for Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle (Franklin
Toker, ed.). Pittsburgh: Carnegie Mellon University, 32 pp. |
|
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"Carnegie
Institute--A National Historic Site," Carnegie Magazine, 53/10:4-6 |
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|
| 1980 |
John
Richman, "James D. Van Trump: Studies in the Architecture of Pittsburgh,"
Western
Pennsylvania Hhhhh |
| 1983 |
1982
"Victor Bourgeau" and "James O'Donnell" entries in MacMillan Encyclopedia
of Architects. New York: MacMillan. |
| 1983 |
"Magnifico
et visibili principio dicti operis: Arnolfo di Cambio a S. Maria del Fiore,"
Roma Anno 1300: Atti del IV Settimana di Studi di Storia dell'arte medievale
dell'Universita di Roma (1980). Rome:71-79 |
|
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"Arnolfo's
S. Maria del Fiore: A Working Hypothesis," Journal of the Society of
Architectural Historians 42:101-12 |
|
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Rie
of J. K. Ochsner, H. H. Richardson: Complete Architectural Works, in
Western
Pennsylvania Historical Magazine 66:373-75. |
| 1984 |
"Oakland:
The Second Founding of Pittsburgh," Urban Design International 5/1:34-35,
40 |
| 1985 |
"Gothic
Architecture by Remote Control: An Illustrated Building Contract of 1340,"
Art
Bulletin 67:67-95 |
|
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"Alberti's
Ideal Architect: Renaissance--or Gothic?," Renaissance Studies in Honor
of Craig Hugh Smyth. Florence,
Giunti Barbera:667-74 |
| 1986 |
"Reversing
an Urban Image: New Architecture in Pittsburgh, 1890-1980," Sister Cities:
Pittsburgh and Sheffield. Pittsburgh,
Carnegie- Mellon University Press:1-12 |
|
|
Review
of M. Girouard, Cities and People: A Social and Architectural History,
in Historic Preservation 38/4:60 |
|
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Review
of S. Tatman & R. Moss, Biographical Dictionary of Philadelphia
Architects:1700-1930, in Journal
of the Society of Architectural Historians 45:424 |
| 1987 |
"Pittsburgh:
Une renaissance et demie--la mutation d'une ville et de son image," in
Amenager l'urbain: de Montreal a San Francisco: politiques et design urbains
(A. Germain, J.-C. Marsan ed.) Montreal: Editions du MÇridien:160-177 |
| 1988 |
Review
of H. Gotz, Castel del Monte: Gestalt und Symbol der Architektur Friedrichs
II, in Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians 47:415-416 |
| 1989 |
"Early
Medieval Florence: Between History and Archaeology," in Medieval Archaeology
(Charles Redman ed). Medieval and Renaissance Texts and Studies, 60. Binghamton
NY:261-283 |
|
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Review
of Chicago Architecture 1872-1922: Birth of a Metropolis,
in Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians 48:91-93 |
|
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Review
of D. Olsen, The City as a Work of Art: London, Paris, Vienna,
in Design Book Review17 (Winter 1989):32-33 |
|
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"Remaking
Pittsburgh: A Cautionary Tale," in Remaking Cities.
Edited by B. Davis, D. Lewis. Pittsburgh:30-35 |
|
|
Review
of J. Van Trump, Majesty of the Law: The Court Houses of Allegheny County,
in Pittsburgh History 72:152-4. |
| 1992 |
"Building
on Paper: The Role of Architectural Drawings in Late-Medieval Italy,"in
Actes du XXVIIe Congres international d'histoire de l'art. Strasbourg,
UniversitÇ de Strasbourg. 6: 31-50. |
| 1993 |
"Projects
for a Fine Arts Building at the University of Pittsburgh" (introduction
and editor), in Planning the Pitt Campus: Dreams and Schemes Never Realized.
Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh: 45--89. |
|
|
Review
of Douglas Richardson, et al., A Not Unsightly Building: University
College and Its History in
The
Journal of Canadian Art History 15/1 (1992):134-135. |
|
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"Architecture's
Greatest Hit: the invention of the Christian church," Pitt |
|
|
Review
of Gary Hughes, Music of the Eye: Architectural Drawings of Canada's
First City, 1822-1914 in The
Journal of Canadian Art History 15/2 (1993):106-108. |
| 1995 |
Review
of Randall J. Van Vynckt, ed., International Dictionary of Architects
and Architecture, in TheJournal
of the Society of Architectural Historians 54 (1995):378--379. |
|
|
"Fra
committente e cantiere: gli architetti delle cattedrali gotiche," in Il
Duomo di Orvieto e le Grandi Cattedrali del Duecento. Rome: Nuova ERI Edizioni
Rai: 357- -367. |
|
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Review
of David Kroyanker, Jerusalem Architecture,
in Zeitschrift fur Kunstgeschichte 58 (1995):417-419. |
| 1996 |
"Pittsburgh,"
in The Dictionary of Art.
London: MacMillan |
|
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Review
of Antonio Paolucci et al., Il Battistero di San Giovanni a Firenze/
The Baptistery of San Giovanni,
Florence, in Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians
(in press) |
| 1998 |
"Edgar
J. Kaufmann, Sr.," in American National Biography (in press) |