Bethsabée de Rothschild
Encyclopedia
Baroness Bethsabée de Rothschild (name sometimes spelled Batsheva (September 23, 1914, in London
- April 20, 1999, in Tel Aviv
, Israel
) was a philanthropist
, a patron of dance, and member of the Rothschild
banking family.
(1868-1949) and his wife, the former Germaine Alice Halphen (1884-1975). Her father ran the French bank with his cousin Baron Robert Philippe de Rothschild (1880-1946). Educated in Paris
, following the invasion of France in 1940, she fled with her family to New York City
where she continued her studies in science at Columbia University
.
During World War II, she enlisted in the Free French forces
and was part of the landing force for the Battle of Normandy
. She moved with the army to liberate Paris, where she served as a liaison between the French and United States military forces. At war's end, she returned to New York and enrolled at the Martha Graham
dance school.
Bethsabée de Rothschild was married to Donald Bloomingdale (b. 1913; d. 1954) in 1948, in 1951, Rothschild traveled to Israel for the first time. She ultimately settled there permanently in 1962.
In Israel, Bethsabée de Rothschild, made significant contributions to dance through the establishment of the Batsheva Dance Company
that became one of the most influential cultural role models in Israel. In the mid 1960s, she met the South African-born classical dancer, Jeannette Ordman, who had come to Israel in 1965 from London
, England
; the two women were professional partners until Rothschild's death. With Rothschild's financial backing, they formed a dance school and a few years later the Bat-Dor Dance Company
, with Ordman as the company's artistic director.
In addition to her cultural activities, Bethsabée de Rothschild created two foundations to advance science and technology in Israel in connection with which she was awarded the Israel Prize
in 1989, for special contribution to society and to the State of Israel.
Through a trust, she had inherited part of a major art collection assembled by her grandfather Baron Alphonse James de Rothschild
. This included a 17th century oil painting by Rembrandt and other Old Master
paintings as well as Islamic and Venetian
glass, decorative objects and porcelain, and Renaissance-style jewelry. Following her death, the collections were auctioned off. Rembrandt's "Portrait of a Lady" was sold by Christie's
in London to the Dutch art dealer Robert Noortman for a record price of US$28.7 million. A 13th century Mamluk
jug in pristine condition sold for £3,307,750 (US$4.8 million), a world record for Islamic glass, and two mosque lamp
s for £1,763,750 and £641,750.
Baroness Bethsabée de Rothschild died at her home in Tel Aviv in 1999 after a lengthy illness.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
- April 20, 1999, in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
) was a philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
, a patron of dance, and member of the Rothschild
Rothschild family
The Rothschild family , known as The House of Rothschild, or more simply as the Rothschilds, is a Jewish-German family that established European banking and finance houses starting in the late 18th century...
banking family.
Biography
Bethsabée de Rothschild was a great-granddaughter of James Mayer Rothschild (1792-1868) and the fourth and youngest child of Baron Édouard Alphonse de RothschildEdouard Alphonse de Rothschild
Édouard Alphonse James de Rothschild was a French financier and a member of the prominent Rothschild banking family of France....
(1868-1949) and his wife, the former Germaine Alice Halphen (1884-1975). Her father ran the French bank with his cousin Baron Robert Philippe de Rothschild (1880-1946). Educated in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, following the invasion of France in 1940, she fled with her family to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
where she continued her studies in science at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
.
During World War II, she enlisted in the Free French forces
Free French Forces
The Free French Forces were French partisans in World War II who decided to continue fighting against the forces of the Axis powers after the surrender of France and subsequent German occupation and, in the case of Vichy France, collaboration with the Germans.-Definition:In many sources, Free...
and was part of the landing force for the Battle of Normandy
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
. She moved with the army to liberate Paris, where she served as a liaison between the French and United States military forces. At war's end, she returned to New York and enrolled at the Martha Graham
Martha Graham
Martha Graham was an American modern dancer and choreographer whose influence on dance has been compared with the influence Picasso had on modern visual arts, Stravinsky had on music, or Frank Lloyd Wright had on architecture.She danced and choreographed for over seventy years...
dance school.
Bethsabée de Rothschild was married to Donald Bloomingdale (b. 1913; d. 1954) in 1948, in 1951, Rothschild traveled to Israel for the first time. She ultimately settled there permanently in 1962.
In Israel, Bethsabée de Rothschild, made significant contributions to dance through the establishment of the Batsheva Dance Company
Batsheva Dance Company
The Batsheva Dance Company is an internationally acclaimed dance company based in Tel Aviv, Israel. It was founded by Martha Graham and Baroness Batsheva De Rothschild in 1964....
that became one of the most influential cultural role models in Israel. In the mid 1960s, she met the South African-born classical dancer, Jeannette Ordman, who had come to Israel in 1965 from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
; the two women were professional partners until Rothschild's death. With Rothschild's financial backing, they formed a dance school and a few years later the Bat-Dor Dance Company
Bat-Dor Dance Company
Bat-Dor was an Israeli dance company based in Tel Aviv, Israel, co-founded by Baroness Batsheva de Rothschild and dancer Jeannette Ordman.-Company:Bat Dor made its debut in 1968 with Ordman as its leading dancer. The company existed until July 2006....
, with Ordman as the company's artistic director.
In addition to her cultural activities, Bethsabée de Rothschild created two foundations to advance science and technology in Israel in connection with which she was awarded the Israel Prize
Israel Prize
The Israel Prize is an award handed out by the State of Israel and is largely regarded as the state's highest honor. It is presented annually, on Israeli Independence Day, in a state ceremony in Jerusalem, in the presence of the President, the Prime Minister, the Knesset chairperson, and the...
in 1989, for special contribution to society and to the State of Israel.
Through a trust, she had inherited part of a major art collection assembled by her grandfather Baron Alphonse James de Rothschild
Alphonse James de Rothschild
Mayer Alphonse James Rothschild , was a French, financier, vineyard owner, art collector, philanthropist, racehorse owner/breeder and a member of the prominent Rothschild banking family of France.-Biography:...
. This included a 17th century oil painting by Rembrandt and other Old Master
Old Master
"Old Master" is a term for a European painter of skill who worked before about 1800, or a painting by such an artist. An "old master print" is an original print made by an artist in the same period...
paintings as well as Islamic and Venetian
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
glass, decorative objects and porcelain, and Renaissance-style jewelry. Following her death, the collections were auctioned off. Rembrandt's "Portrait of a Lady" was sold by Christie's
Christie's
Christie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
in London to the Dutch art dealer Robert Noortman for a record price of US$28.7 million. A 13th century Mamluk
Mamluk
A Mamluk was a soldier of slave origin, who were predominantly Cumans/Kipchaks The "mamluk phenomenon", as David Ayalon dubbed the creation of the specific warrior...
jug in pristine condition sold for £3,307,750 (US$4.8 million), a world record for Islamic glass, and two mosque lamp
Mosque lamp
Mosque lamps of glass, enamelled and often with gilding, survive in considerable numbers from the Islamic art of the Middle Ages, especially the 13th and 14th centuries, with Cairo in Egypt and Aleppo and Damascus in Syria the most important centres of production...
s for £1,763,750 and £641,750.
Baroness Bethsabée de Rothschild died at her home in Tel Aviv in 1999 after a lengthy illness.
See also
- List of Israel Prize recipients