Master T's Portrait

Celebrating the Moment - Left to right: Jeff Brenzel, Vera Wells, T, Simmie Knox, Nancy Alexander.

Robert Farris Thompson ’55, ’65 PhD, the Colonel John Trumbull Professor of the History of Art, served a record 32 years as the enthusiastic and welcoming Master of Timothy Dwight College at Yale University. His vision, brilliance, commitment, and inspired leadership made TD not only a loved home for its undergraduate residents, but also an exciting place for Fellows, alumni, and friends. Bob is still a vibrant presence in New Haven as he continues to teach his popular Yale courses, including African art and New York mambo, and we wanted to recognize his permanent legacy in TD as well as celebrate his continued vitality with an appropriate portrait placed prominently in the Timothy Dwight dining hall, alongside those of preceding Masters.

The TD Fellows’ portrait committee consulted with Master T to find an artist to create a painting that would capture that “flash of T’s spirit,” the essence of àshe, as well as his favorite masks, drum, thumb-piano, and other treasured artifacts. Simmie Knox’s portfolio of extraordinary contemporary portraits prompted T to schedule an interview, in which they shared an immediate mutual respect and rapport, with Bob proclaiming therewith, “Simmie’s the one I want!”

At www.simmieknox.com you can see some of Mr. Knox’s other portraiture: Bill and Hillary Clinton at The White House, Supreme Court Justices Thurgood Marshall and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Professor John Hope Franklin of Duke University, as well as many artists, musicians, and celebrities.

The TD Fellows’ portrait committee would like to thank and acknowledge all the friends and fans of Master T who made this very special portrait a reality, all of whom were inspired by Bob’s unforgettable classroom lectures as well as his unique warmth as TD’s master of 32 years. Several generous “angels” seeded the fund with significant gifts; TD students voted to contribute Mott Woolley Council funding; and then many, many friends stepped forward to participate.

We also thank the many Yale staff and departments who provided guidance and counsel along the way, especially Alison Coleman of the Development Office who provided thoughtful stewardship from beginning to end.

Alan L. Aberg - '08 B.S.
Peter C. Aberg - '81 B.A.
Randy Smith Aberg - '82 B.A.
Nina R. Adams - '69 M.S. '77 M.S.N.Bill Adams- ‘77
Liz Adams - ‘78
Nathaniel E. Adderley - '77 B.A.
Stephen Adler
Afro-American Cultural Center at Yale
Alexander Paul Anthony
Bruce D. Alexander - '65 B.A. '98 M.A.H.
Elizabeth Alexander - '84 B.A. '06 M.A.H.
Nancy Alexander - '79 B.A. '84 M.B.A.
Anonymous
MPhil and Laura Baldwin - '81
Kim A. Barkan, Esq. - '72 B.A.
Dr. Cynthia D. Barnes
Prof. Sarbani Basu - '05 M.A.H.
Christopher E.M. Beardsley - '02 B.A. '06 M.Arch.
Dr. G. Peter Beardsley, M.D. - '92 M.A.H.
John C. Bennett
Barry Berman
Eric F. Bernstein, M.D. - '86 M.D.
Mindy Berstein , M.D.- ’87
Leopoldo M. Bernucci - Ph.D.
Marcel Trerice Bernucci
Judith Bettelheim, Ph.D. - '79 Ph.D.
Albert Bildner - '37 B.A.
Robert B. Blanchard - '61 B.S. (Eng)
Khalilah Fatimah Boone, in memory of Sylvia Ardyn Boone - ’79 Ph.D.
Thomas G. Brady, PA-C - '91 Phys. Assoc. Cert.
Jeff B. Brenzel - '75 B.A.
Sally Brenzel
Sarah C. Brett-Smith - '75 M.A. '82 Ph.D.
Dr. Jacqueline L. Brice-Finch - Ph.D.
Prof. Derek E.G. Briggs - '03 M.A.H.
Jennifer Briggs
Willard W. Brittain, Jr. - '70 B.A.
Robert D. Broeksmit - '85 B.A.
Stephen Leneld Brown - '93 B.A.
Khalilah L. Brown-Dean, Ph.D.
Frank W. Bruno
Michael Bryant
Lucy and Richard L. Burger - '72
Jonathan J. Bush - '53 B.A.f
Josephine Bush
Jeannette Q. Byers
Hon. Jose A. Cabranes - '65 J.D.
Edward H. Cantor - '61 B.A.
Jim Carolan - ’89 Ph.D.
Dr. Mary Ann Carolan - '84 M.A. '87 M.Phil. '89 Ph.D.
Trish Cawley
John R. Chandler - '68 B.A. '75 M.A.R.
Victor E. Chears - '74 B.A.
Kevin D. Chears
Marian Chertow - '81 M.P.P.M., '98 Ph.D.
Helen Chillman
Daniel W. Cody
Dean Rodney T. Cohen
Jon Connolly - '08
Heidi Coutu
Dr. J Moore Crossey
Moore Crossey
Mitch F. Crusto, Esq. - '75 B.A. '81 J.D.
Kevin R. Czinger, Esq. - '82 B.A. '87 J.D.
William R. Dean
Dr. Linda C. Degutis - '82 M.S.N. '94 Dr.P.H.
Richard Diana, M.D. - '82 B.A. '87 M.D.
Ann Diana
Sarah L. Donnem, in memory of Roland W. Donnem, Esq.* - '52 B.A.
Richard J. Dorfman
David Todd Doris - '96 M.A. '98 M.Phil. '02 Ph.D.
Lester Yale Drabkin
Lucinda Embersits, in memory of John F. Embersits
Michael Evancho
Robert S. Evans
Cheryl Finley, Ph.D. - '98 M.A. '99 M.Phil. '02 Ph.D.
Prof. Shelley Fisher Fishkin - '71 B.A. '74 M.A. '74 M.Phil. '77 Ph.D.
James S. Fishkin - ’70, ’75 Ph.D.
Tony Fitzgerald - '66 B.A.
Ann Fitzgerald
Brin R. Ford - '70 M.Arch.
Joy Ford - ‘70M.Arch.
Wilson P. Foss, Ph.D. - '65 B.A. '76 Ph.D.
Karen K. Freedman
Friend of Master T
Dr. Joseph A. Gagliardi - '82 B.A.
Phyllis Galembo
C'Ardiss E. Gardner - '08 B.A.
Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. - '73 B.A.
Dean W. Marichal Gentry
Dean Pamela Y. George
Toddie Getman - ‘64
Christopher Getman - '64 B.A.
Ficre Ghebreyesus - '02 M.F.A.
Peter A. Gisolfi - '66 B.A.
David Gortler
Farah J. Griffin, Ph.D. - '92 Ph.D. , in memory of Sylvia Ardyn boon – ’79 Ph.D.
Prof. Grey Gundaker - '88 M.Phil. '92 Ph.D.
Alexander Nichols Gunn, II MD - '58 B.A.
Judith Hackman
Prof. Jack Harris
Dr. Ann Giardina Hess, MD, PhD. - '87 B.A.
Edward A. Hirs III - '79 B.A. '79 M.A. '81 M.B.A.
Ellen Davie Hirs - ‘79M.A.
Ediward A. Hirs III - ’79 M.A. ‘81M.B.A.
Prof. Camara D. Holloway - '95 M.A. '98 M.Phil. '02 Ph.D.
Travis T. Hutchinson - '15
Ian Jackson
Dr. Unjeria C. Jackson, M.D. - '77 B.S.
Cary Jacobs
Michael B. Jacobs – ‘14
Richard L. Jacobs, Esq. - '52 B.A. '57 LL.B.
Sheridan Hay Jacobs
Ellen M. Jaramillo
Dr. Moreson Kaplan- ’67 HS
Attorney Robert M. Kessler
Lindsey Chao-Yun Kiang, Esq. - '64 B.A. '68 LL.B.
George Craig Knight - '95 M.Arch.
Simmie Knox
Dr. Hesung C. Koh – Ph.D.
Professor Joseph La Palombara - '64 M.A.H.
Myra Evans Lapeyrolerie - '81 B.A.
Sydney Lapeyrolerie – ‘10
Mr. John Lehman
Theresa A. Leininger-Miller, Ph.D - '88 M.A. '90 M.Phil. '95 Ph.D.
Dr. Richard A. Lethin - '85 B.S.
Dr. M. Ann Levett, in memory of Alan Polite
Nicholas R. Lewis - '93 B.A.
Sarah Elizabeth Lewis - '10 M.Phil. '10 M.A., Ph.D. candidate
Sharon S. Lin - '99 B.S.
Eugene Linden - '69 B.A.
Annemarie and Carl W. Lindskog - '58
Dean John P. Loge, Jr. - '66 UGrd
Lovett Woodsum Family
Alexander B. Mandl - '90 Cert PF '94 Mus.M. '96 ArtA
Jenyi Mandl
Laura Kirchman Manuelidis, M.D. - '67 M.D.
Ruth W. and Amanda W. Martin, in memory of John C. Martin – ‘47
David L. Martino - '85 B.A.
John E. Maturo III - '76 B.A.
Karen Tomko McGovern
Brannack Joseph Mclain
John P. McNiff - '83 B.A.
Dr. Joseph P. Mele, M.D. - '85 B.S.
Teri Mendelsohn
Dean Mary E. Miller - '78 M.A. '80 M.Phil. '81 Ph.D.
Professor Irvin M. Modlin - '87 M.A.H.
Brian K. Mongillo, M.D. - '82 B.A.
Richard E. Mooney - '47 B.A.
Mott Woolley council of Timothy Dwight College
Christopher J. Munnelly - '90 B.A.
Grayson Murphy III
Professor Kumpati S. Narendra - '68 M.A.H.
Matthew L. Nemerson - '81 M.P.P.M.
Kenneth J. Nolan - '83 B.A.
Errol Norwitz
Shannon L. O'Pray - '04 B.A.
Ron Osokow
Jalal Kamal Osman - '11 B.A.
Professor Aldo S. Parisot - '48 Mus '70 M.A.H.
Elizabeth Sawyer Parisot - '66 Mus.M. '70 Mus.A.M. '73 Mus.A.D.
Jelan Renee Passley - '11 B.A.
Mr. & Mrs. Carl Michael Porto
C.T. and Dr. Richard J. Powell - '82 M.A. '84 M.Phil. '88 Ph.D.
Andrew Justin Ralph - '06 B.A.
Petra Richterova, Ph.D. - '05 M.A. '08 M.Phil.
Hon. Angela C. Robinson – ’89 J.D.
Ann Garrett Robinson – Ed.D.
Midred W. and Allison L. Robinson, in memory of Armstead L. Robinson
Jeffrey Rohrer – ‘82
Richard N. Rosenfeld - '63 B.A.
Constance L. Royster - '72 B.A.
Elizabeth B. Rubin
Richard Rubin
David A. Ryan - '61 B.A.
Judith Ryan
Ms. Lucy Salazar-Burger - '01 M.A.
Dr. Philip M. Sarrel, M.D. - '90 M.A.H.
Dr. Judith A. Schiff
Nina and Ivan Selin - '56 B.E. '58 M.Eng. '60 Ph.D.
Remy Shaber - '98 B.A.
Dr. Aryan Shayegani
Donald A. Sheff - '53 B.A.
Dr. Gerald I. Shulman, M.D. - '96 M.A.H.
Professor William K. Simpson - '47 B.A. '48 M.A. '54 Ph.D.
Eugene A. Skowronski
Laura M. Smalligan, Ph.D. - '06 M.A. '07 M.A. '11 Ph.D.
Donald F Smith Jr. - '05 B.A.
Norma and Gordon H. Smith - '57 B.E.
Nana Smith - '83 B.A.
Risa Sodi - '94 M.A. '95 Ph.D.
Professor Jonathan D. Spence - '61 M.A. '61 UGrd '65 Ph.D.
Georges St. Laurent, Jr. - '58 B.A.
Regina L. Starolis
Dr. Robert E. Steele - '71 M.P.H. '74 M.S. '75 Ph.D.
Jamie E. Stern - '72 B.A.
Jennifer A. Stewart
William W. Stork - '62 B.A.
Junellen and Dennis R. Sullivan, Jr.
Marilyn Szwed
Professor John Szwed - '82 M.A.H.
Larry Thompson - '72
Thameka N. Thompson - '09 B.A.
Maxim Thorne, Esq. - '89 B.A. '92 J.D.
Dr. Frank P. Tirro - '80 M.A.H.
Phoebe Ophelia Tree - '77 B.A.
Rachelle Trerice
Ellen Meek Tweedy - '74 B.A.
Marten H.A. van Heuven, Esq. - '53 B.A. '56 J.D.
Harold G. Wagner - '76 B.A.
Hon John M. Walker, Jr. - '62 B.A.
Scyatta Andrea Wallace - '96 Ph.D.
Clemantine Wamariya
Vera F. Wells - '71 B.A. and the Sylvia Ardyn Boone Memorial Project
William Alexander Werrell
John A. Wilkinson - '60 B.A. '63 M.A.T. '79 M.A.H.
Mary Studebaker Winder - '57 ArtP
J. Melvin Woody - '55 B.A. '61 M.A. '64 Ph.D.
Charles J. Wortman - '79 B.A. '81 M.A. '82 M.Phil.
Yale Black Alumni Association
Gregory J. Zorthian - '75 B.A.
Joseph H. Zuraw - '79 B.A.

 (Pictured above and below are the members of Alex LaSalle's hot bomba band - a Master T classic.)