David Talbot Rice
Born 11 July 1903 · Died 12 March 1972
David Talbot Rice CBE was an English archaeologist and art historian. His name is sometimes written as Talbot-Rice. His parents were Charles Henry Talbot-Rice and Cecily Mary Talbot-Rice (née Lloyd). Born in Rugby and brought up in Gloucestershire, Talbot Rice was educated at Eton prior to reading archaeology and anthropology at Christ Church, Oxford. At Oxford his circle of friends included Evelyn Waugh and Harold Acton as well as his future wife (Elena) Tamara Abelson (1904–1993) a Russian émigré whom he was to marry in 1927. This group allegedly formed the original for Waugh's Brideshead Revisited. Elena was also an art historian, writing on Byzantine and Central Asian art, and spent much time travelling abroad with him on archaeological digs.
In 1925 while he was still an undergraduate, Talbot Rice became a staff member at the Oxford Field Museum's archaeological excavation in Kish, Iraq. He was to use this experience by incorporating some of his findings when completing his B.Sc. degree gained in 1927. Developing a passion for all things Byzantine, Talbot Rice joined the expeditions of the British Academy in Constantinople (now Istanbul) in 1927–32 and 1952–54. In 1928, for example, he visited Trebizond (now Trabzon), which would lead to his monograph on the subject being published in 1936. Talbot Rice's fieldwork continued with expeditions to Cyprus, Asia Minor, Iraq and Iran.
Books by David Talbot Rice in order
Books by David Talbot Rice in the order they were published, from Byzantine Glazed Pottery (1930) to The Illustrations to the World History of Rashīd al-Dīn (1976).
- 1Byzantine Glazed PotteryByzantine Glazed Pottery1930
- 2Byzantine Art
Byzantine Art1935 - 3Russian ArtRussian Art1935
- 4The Icons of CyprusThe Icons of Cyprus1937
- 5The Beginnings of Russian Icon PaintingThe Beginnings of Russian Icon Painting1938
- 6Russian Icons
Russian Icons1947 - 7The Byzantine Element in Late Saxon ArtThe Byzantine Element in Late Saxon Art1947
- 8Byzantine Painting and Developments in the West Before A.D.
Byzantine Painting and Developments in the West Before A.D. 12001948 - 9English Art, 871-1100
English Art, 871-11001952 - 10Teach Yourself to Study ArtTeach Yourself to Study Art1955
- 11The Great Palace of the Byzantine EmperorsThe Great Palace of the Byzantine Emperors1958
- 12Byzantine IconsByzantine Icons1959
- 13The Art of Byzantium
The Art of Byzantium1959 - 14Icons and Their History
Icons and Their History1962 - 15The Byzantines. Ancient People and Places. Volume 27
The Byzantines. Ancient People and Places. Volume 271962 - 16Art of the Byzantine Era
Art of the Byzantine Era1963 - 17Constantinople from Byzantium to Istanbul
Constantinople from Byzantium to Istanbul1965 - 18Islamic Art
Islamic Art1965 - 19The Dawn of European Civilization
The Dawn of European Civilization1965 - 20The Making of European Civilization: The Dark AgesThe Making of European Civilization: The Dark Ages1965
- 21The Church of Haghia Sophia at Trebizond
The Church of Haghia Sophia at Trebizond1968 - 22The Appreciation of Byzantine Art
The Appreciation of Byzantine Art1972 - 23Icons and Their Dating
Icons and Their Dating1974 - 24The Illustrations to the World History of Rashīd al-DīnThe Illustrations to the World History of Rashīd al-Dīn1976