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Forord
Foreword
A n d r é L e th h a r v æ re t d ir e k tø r f o r C . L. D a v id s
F o n d o g S a m lin g s id e n 1 962, o g b e s ty re ls e n h a r
ø n s k e t a t a n e r k e n d e h a n s in d s a ts v e d e n sæ rlig
u d s tillin g i f o r b in d e ls e m e d , a t h a n tr æ k k e r sig
tilb a g e d e n 1. j u l i 1 985, h v o r h a n e fte rfø lg e s a f
K je ld v . F o lsa c h .
D e n s a m lin g , A n d r é L e th o v e r to g , v a r a f h ø j
k v a lite t, id e t d e n v a r s k a b t i e t s a m a rb e jd e m e lle m
C . L . D a v id o g f ø re n d e e k s p e rte r p å d e o m rå d e r ,
s o m sæ rlig in te re s s e re d e g ru n d læ g g e re n .
D e t e r d o g n æ p p e n o g e n o v e rd riv e ls e at f r e m
h æ v e , a t A n d r é L e th ’s in d s a ts g e n n e m c irk a 25 å r
h a r v æ r e t a f h e lt a fg ø re n d e b e ty d n in g f o r s a m lin
g e n s u s æ d v a n lig e s ta n d a rd .
L e th h a r r e o rg a n is e r e t s a m lin g e n , m e n f ø rs t o g
f r e m m e s t i k r a ft a f s it s a m le r in s tin k t f o r m å e t at
tilfø re d e n e rh v e r v e ls e r , s o m h a r u d v id e t d im e n s i
o n e r n e o g d e r m e d b r a g t m u s e e t o p i in te r n a tio n a l
k la sse .
N å r m a n h a r o p le v e t, m e d h v ilk e n u tr æ tte lig
e n e r g i h a n s tø v e r r u n d t i Is ta n b u ls b a z a re r, fo rk la
r e r o m S in a n s h e rlig h e d e r, d r ø f te r in d k ø b a f S h a h -
N a m e h illu s tr a tio n e r e lle r e n d e v e n d e r p la n e r fo r
a t fa u d le v e r e t in d k ø b fra G h a z n i, k a n m a n fo rstå ,
a t d e e r h v e r v e ls e r , d e r e r s k e t i h a n s p e rio d e s o m
d ir e k tø r , h a r g jo r t m u s e e t s tø r r e o g m e re le v e n d e .
Erik Hoffmeyer
André Leth has been director o f the C. L . David Collec
tion since 1962 and the Board has wished to show its
recognition o f his work by arranging a special exhibition
to mark his retirement on 1st J u ly 1985, when he will
be succeeded by Kjeld v. Folsach.
The collection André Leth took over was o f high
quality as it had been assembled through collaboration
between C . L . David and leading experts in the fields
which especially held his interest.
However, it is hardly any exaggeration to emphasize
that André L eth ’s work during the past 25 years or so
has been o f the utmost importance to the Museum’s
unusually high standard.
Leth has reorganized the collection, butfirst and fore
most he has succeeded, through his collector’s instinct, in
making acquisitions that have expanded its dimensions
and thereby raised the Museum to an international level.
Those o f us who have witnessed the indefatiguable
energy with which he can roam through the bazaars o f
Istanbul, explain the marvels o f Sinan, discuss the buy-
ing o f Shah-Nameh illustrations, or go through plans
fo r the handing over o f purchases made in Ghazni,
appreciate to how great an extent the acquisitions made
during his period as director have served, not only to
increase the size o f the collection, but also its vitality.
E rik H o f f m e y e r
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