Frank Horlbeck

Frank R. Horlbeck passed away peacefully on January 14, 2019, only two weeks short of his ninety-fifth birthday as he was born on January 28, 1924, in Whiting Indiana. He is preceded in death by his parents, Frank A. Horlbeck, a Retired Fire Chief at Standard Oil in Indiana, and Mathilde E. (Goebel) Horlbeck along with his brothers, Hank, and Bill and his sister, Margaret Mulmat. Frank never married or had children, but Gene and Sayoko Phillips and Pippa Robinson became his son and daughters in heart and spirit. He is being mourned and remembered by family, friends, and former students around the United States as well as by friends around the world, particularly in England, Greece, Sweden, and Australia.

Frank received his BSc in Chemistry from the University of Chicago in 1949 and then took an M.A. in Art History from the same school two years later before pursuing a Ph.D. at the Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London. He achieved his goal in 1957 with a dissertation titled, "Decorative Painting in English Medieval Architecture."

He became an assistant professor of art history at UW-Madison in 1958 and retired a full professor in 1995. His thirty-six years of service to the university included three stints as chair of the Art History Department for a total of fourteen years. He served on many important university committees and for a term as president of the Friends of the Libraries. A dedicated teacher, he mentored countless undergraduates, and his Ph.D. students went on to professorships at schools such at Baruch College, CUNY Graduate Center, UW-Whitewater, and the University of Oregon and to careers in museums. Richard Sundt and Robyn Peterson remained particularly close to him throughout his life.

Frank's two greatest passions were architectural photography and the collection of Victorian molded jugs. For about forty years he divided his time in summer between sojourns in England and Mt. Athos in Greece along with trips around Europe and beyond to visit and photograph great architectural monuments. Late in his life, his contributions as photographer and collector were recognized in two exhibitions, both organized by Art History classes and hosted by the Chazen Museum of Art: "Holy Mountain: Icons from Mount Athos and Photographs by Frank Horlbeck" and "What's in a Jug? Art, Technology, Culture." He has left a marvelous collection of slides to the department, including his unparalleled archive of images of English parish churches. The Chazen Museum is preparing to receive his donation of his jug collection, a monetary bequest, and various antiques and works of art.

Funeral Services will be held on Feb. 23, 2019, at 1:00 pm at ST. ANDREW'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, 1833 Regent Street in Madison with Father Andy Jones presiding.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Chazen Museum of Art. Checks should be made payable to the UW Foundation-Chazen Museum of Art Fund with "in memory of Frank Horlbeck" on the memo line, and mailed to US Bank Lockbox 78807, Milwaukee, WI 53278; electronic donations can be made at

www.supportuw.org/giveto/chazen .

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