Jean Sutherland Boggs
A pioneering art historian who broke the glass ceiling to lead two major museums and shaped the understanding of Degas.
1922–2014 (age 92)·Canadian academic·Birthday: June 11·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Jean Sutherland Boggs approached art history with a detective's eye and a curator's passion. Born in Peru to Canadian parents, she cultivated an international perspective that served her brilliantly. As a scholar, she became a leading authority on Edgar Degas, unraveling the complexities of his process and his vast, disorganized trove of work. Her acumen led her to the top of a male-dominated field: she was the first woman to direct the National Gallery of Canada, where she championed the building of its new home, and later the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Boggs was not just an administrator; she was a builder and a shaper of collections, whose intellectual rigor and quiet determination expanded the public's access to great art on both sides of the border.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Jean was born in 1922, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jean Was Born
The biggest hits of 1922
#1 Movie
Robin Hood
Jean's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1922Born
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1927Started school
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1935Became a teenager
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1938Could drive
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1940Could vote
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1943Turned 21
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1952Turned 30
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1962Turned 40
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1972Turned 50
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1982Turned 60
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 70
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 80
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2014Died at 92
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
Key Achievements
- Appointed the first female director of the National Gallery of Canada in 1966, overseeing a period of major expansion.
- Became the first woman to direct the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1978.
- Was a respected scholar of Edgar Degas, authoring several definitive studies and catalogues raisonnés of his work.
- Served as Chair of the Canada Council for the Arts and was made a Companion of the Order of Canada.
Did You Know?
She taught a young Steve Martin in an art history class at the University of California, and they remained friends.
She was once offered a position as a spy for the OSS (precursor to the CIA) during World War II due to her language skills.
She discovered a previously unknown portrait by Degas in a private collection, attributing it through her meticulous research.
“Degas taught me to look for the story behind the brushstroke.”
