Introduction

Just 100 years ago, Max van Berchem (1863-1921) died of illness and exhaustion, days before his 58th birthday.  This man known by only few in Geneva today, is the founding scholar of Arabic epigraphy, in other words the study of inscriptions in Arabic. 

Symposium Max van Berchem

The symposium took place on September 30 and October 1, 2021, at the auditorium of the Musée d'art et d'histoire, in Geneva.  It was entitled Où en est l'épigraphie arabe/islamique 100 ans après la mort de Max van Berchem ? - Bilan et perspectives. Its goal was to review the progress made in epigraphic studies (arabic, persian, turkish) since Max van Berchem's death and, possibly, to open new search fields.  Communications, lasting 25 minutes, were in French or English. The proceedings will be published by Peeters.

Here is the detailed program.

The Musée d'art et d'histoire of Geneva (MAH) commemorated Max van Berchem with an exhibition Max van Berchem. L’aventure de l’épigraphie arabe (Max van Berchem. The adventure of Arabic epigraphy) highlighting the importance of his work towards the understanding of Muslim civilization and art at the beginning of the 20th century.

This presentation, in a gallery above the Salle des Armures, brought together a selection of art works from the Museum's collection as well as historical and documentary testimonies of Maxvan Berchem's life that proved an astounding scientific adventure.  The close relationships between the MAH and the Max van Berchem Foundation since its creation in 1973 allowed this project to benefit from exceptional loans from the Foundation and the Bibliothèque de Genève.  The latter inherited van Berchem's library as well as his scientific archives donated by his family in 1972.  The Museum preserves a part of the scholar's collection, given by his widow in 1921.

The exhibition opened on April 16 and closed on June 6, 2021.

Expo MvB MAH

In April, a biography by Charles Genequand, Max van Berchem, un orientaliste, was published by Droz.  This text reviews the life of a man who described himself as an orientalist, showing his attachment to a field of study that no longer exists as such today.

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A conference on Max van Berchem by prof. Charles Genequand took place at the Musée d'art et d'histoire in Geneva on Thursday May 6, 2021.

The Board consists of the following members:

  • Costin van Berchem, President (member since 1995, president since 2010),
  • Caroline Freymond-van Berchem (member since 2010),
  • Richard Gautier, Treasurer (member since 2013),
  • Charles Genequand, President of the Scientific Committee from 1992 until 2021 (member since 1990),
  • Louise Martin-van Berchem (member since 1998).

The first board meeting of the Foundation, presided by Marguerite Gautier-van Berchem, was held on the 14th of September 1973 with the following members in attendance:

  • Bernard Gautier (member from 1973 to 1985),
  • Jacques van Berchem (member from 1973 to 1975),
  • Horace van Berchem (member from 1973 to 1977),
  • Marc Auguste Borgeaud (member from 1973 to 1978),
  • Olivier Vodoz (member from 1973 to 2013),
  • Denise Werner (member from 1973 to 1977).

Over the twenty-five years of its activity, the Foundation’s Board, which has generally been made up of a few people related to the van Berchem family as well as outside persons, has also included the following members:

  • Guy van Berchem (member from 1977 to 2009, president from 2004 to 2009), Honorary President from 2010 until his death in 2020,
  • Denis van Berchem (member from 1984 to 1994),
  • Gaspard Bodmer (member from 1998 until his death in May 2000),
  • Alain Dufour (member from 1985 to 2013),
  • Olivier Fatio (member from 1975 to 1977),
  • Jean-Pierre Jéquier (member from 1977 to 1998),
  • Marcel Naville (member from 1978 to 1998).

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For twenty-five years now, the Max van Berchem Foundation has been sponsoring scientific research in the field of Arabic and Islamic studies. Before going over the projects, it must be noted that there have been two distinct periods in the life of the Foundation: The first began with its creation in 1973 by Marguerite Gautier-van Berchem and lasted through to her death in 1984. During these first years, the Foundation, with its founder at the helm, devoted most of its time to placing its archives at the disposal of the public and to the publishing of several books dedicated to the work of Max van Berchem, including his photographs, his correspondence, and his essays.

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The following volumes have been published with the financial help of Saudi Arabia and Jordan:

  • in 1975: The Catalogue de la Photothèque by Solange Ory (distributed by the Foundation);
  • in 1978: La Jérusalem musulmane dans l'oeuvre de Max van Berchem by Marguerite Gautier-van Berchem and Solange Ory (distributed by the Foundation);
  • in 1978: Opera Minora, collection of articles by Max van Berchem, introduction and bibliography by Anouar Louca, index established by Charles Genequand (distributed by Slatkine, Geneva);
  • in 1980: La correspondance entre Max van Berchem et Louis Massignon 1907-1919 by Werner Vycichl (distributed by Slatkine, Geneva);
  • in 1982: Muslim Jerusalem in the work of Max van Berchem by Marguerite Gautier-van Berchem and Solange Ory (distributed by the Foundation).

The second period began in 1984 when Guy van Berchem, the founder's cousin, took over (he remained president until 2010). With greater financial resources, thanks to being the beneficiary of Marguerite Gautier-van Berchem's legacy, the Foundation was able to sponsor more ambitious and costly projects in particular in the following fields:

  • archaeology,
  • epigraphy, calligraphy, codicology, literature,
  • architecture,
  • art history,
  • history.
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  1. PROJECTS
  2. Marguerite van Berchem
  3. Max van Berchem
  4. Library