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William Craft BrumfieldAmerican historian of Russian architecture, photographer, local historian
Date of Birth: 28.06.1944
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Academic Career and Architectural Focus
- Architectural Preservation Advocacy
- Honors and Recognition
- Publications
- "Volokolamsk" (2005)
Early Life and Education
William Craft Brumfield, born in the Southern United States, developed an interest in Russia through Russian literature. After completing his bachelor's degree at Tulane University in 1966 and a master's degree at the University of California, Berkeley in 1968, he embarked on his first visit to the USSR in 1970. This trip ignited his passion for architectural photography, which he began pursuing seriously in 1974. In 1973, he earned his Ph.D. in Slavic Studies from the University of California, Berkeley.
Academic Career and Architectural Focus
After serving as an assistant professor at Harvard University from 1974 to 1980, Brumfield shifted his research focus to architectural history in 1983. This culminated in the publication of his first book, "Gold in Azure: One Thousand Years of Russian Architecture." He has spent approximately nine years living and researching in Russia, collaborating with Moscow State University and Saint Petersburg State University.
Architectural Preservation Advocacy
Brumfield has become a vocal advocate for the preservation of Russian architecture. His collection of 1,100 photographs of architectural monuments in the Russian North, taken between 1999 and 2003, has been donated to the Library of Congress. His archives have subsequently been digitized.
Honors and Recognition
Brumfield has received numerous awards and accolades for his contributions. In 2000, he was awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship in the Humanities (Russian History). He is a full member of the Russian Academy of Architecture and Building Sciences since 2002 and an honorary member of the Russian Academy of Arts since 2006. In 2011, the Federal Agency for Press and Mass Communications honored him with a special diploma for his "long-standing research and cultural and educational work in preserving and popularizing the cultural heritage of Russian regions."
Publications
Since 2005, Brumfield's series of books on the historical cities of the Vologda Region has been published by "Tri Kvadrata" Press:
"Volokolamsk" (2005)
"Novgorodian Rus" (2007)"Valdai: An Anthology" (2007)
"St. Petersburg: The Russian Venice" (2008)
"Ustyuzhna and the Southern Shore of Lake Beloe" (2009)
"Cherepovets of the Three Saints" (2010)
"The Cathedral in Karelia: A Bizantine Legacy in the North" (2012)
Additionally, "Tri Kvadrata" Press published his literary monograph, "The Social Project in 19th-Century Russian Literature," in 2009.
