Arthur E. Popham

20th century British art historian

Arthur E. (Hugh) Popham, (22 March 1889 – 8 December 1970) was a British art historian, mainly focused on Italian art. Most of his life he worked at the British Museum and became especially renowned for his catalogue work. He was Keeper of Prints and Drawings from 1945 to his retirement from the museum in 1954.

He was born Arthur Ewart Hugh Popham in Plymouth, England on 22 March 1889, as the only son of Arthur Frederick Popham and Florence Amelia Radford. His mother was sister to the poet Ernest Radford and the writer Ada Radford Wallas. He was educated at Cambridge University, at King's College. He duly graduated MA in 1908. He was associated with Rupert Brooke's circle of Neo pagans and the Bloomsbury Group. He married Brynhild Olivier on 3 October 1912 and the couple had three children: Hugh Anthony, Anne Olivier (later: Mrs. Quentin Bell) and Tristram. They divorced in 1924, when this was still a matter of some social consequence and required a hearing in court. He married Rosalind Baynes (née Thornycroft) in 1926. He died in Islington, London in 1970. At the time of death, his address was 4 Canonbury Place, London N1. At Probate on 16 February 1971, his estate was stated as £4,967.

In 1912, Popham joined the Department of Prints and Drawings of the British Museum. In 1933, he was promoted to deputy keeper. From 1945 to 1954, he served as Keeper of Prints and Drawings (i. e. head of the department). He moved to the Royal Air Force upon its creation in 1918 with the rank of captain. During the war, he served in Europe, Egypt, and Palestine.

Arthur E. Popham: Catalogue of the Drawings of Parmigianino. 3 Vols. New Haven & London: Yale University Press 1971.