Jocelyn Mary Catherine Toynbee, (3 March 1897 – 31 December 1985) was an English

archaeologist Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...

and

art historian Art history is the study of aesthetic objects and visual expression in historical and stylistic context. Traditionally, the discipline of art history emphasized painting, drawing, sculpture, architecture, ceramics and decorative arts; yet today ...

. "In the mid-twentieth century she was the leading British scholar in

Roman art The art of Ancient Rome, and the territories of its Republic and later Empire, includes architecture, painting, sculpture and mosaic work. Luxury objects in metal-work, gem engraving, ivory carvings, and glass are sometimes considered to be mi ...

istic studies and one of the recognized authorities in this field in the world." Having taught at

St Hugh's College, Oxford St Hugh's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford. It is located on a site on St Margaret's Road, to the north of the city centre. It was founded in 1886 by Elizabeth Wordsworth as a women's college, and accepte ...

, the

University of Reading The University of Reading is a public university in Reading, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1892 as University College, Reading, a University of Oxford extension college. The institution received the power to grant its own degrees in 192 ...

, and

Newnham College, Cambridge Newnham College is a women's Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was founded in 1871 by a group organising Lectures for Ladies, members of which included philosopher Henry Sid ...

, she was

Laurence Professor of Classical Archaeology The Laurence Professorship of Classical Archaeology at the University of Cambridge was established in 1930 as one of the offices endowed by the bequest of Sir Perceval Maitland Laurence.University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

from 1951 to 1962.

Biography

Jocelyn Toynbee was the daughter of Harry Valpy Toynbee, secretary of the

Charity Organization Society The Charity Organisation Societies were founded in England in 1869 following the ' Goschen Minute' that sought to severely restrict outdoor relief distributed by the Poor Law Guardians. In the early 1870s a handful of local societies were formed w ...

, and his wife Sarah Edith Marshall (1859–1939). Her brother

Arnold J. Toynbee Arnold Joseph Toynbee (; 14 April 1889 – 22 October 1975) was an English historian, a philosopher of history, an author of numerous books and a research professor of international history at the London School of Economics and King's Colleg ...

was the noted universal historian. Toynbee was educated at Winchester High School for Girls and (like her mother) at

(1916–20), where she achieved a

First First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...

in the

Classical Tripos The Classical Tripos is the taught course in classics at the Faculty of Classics, University of Cambridge. It is equivalent to Literae Humaniores at Oxford. It is traditionally a three-year degree, but for those who have not previously studied L ...

. Toynbee completed her doctoral thesis at

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

on the subject of Hadrianic sculpture. She was tutor in

classics Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...

(1921–24), lecturer in classics at

Reading University The University of Reading is a public university in Reading, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1892 as University College, Reading, a University of Oxford extension college. The institution received the power to grant its own degrees in 192 ...

(1924–27), and from 1927 Fellow, Lecturer and director of studies in classics at

(1927–51), where her students included Lilian Hamilton Jeffery. In 1931 she was appointed lecturer in classics at Cambridge before becoming the fourth

Laurence Professor of Classical Archaeology The Laurence Professorship of Classical Archaeology at the University of Cambridge was established in 1930 as one of the offices endowed by the bequest of Sir Perceval Maitland Laurence.British School at Rome The British School at Rome (BSR) is an interdisciplinary research centre supporting the arts, humanities and architecture. History The British School at Rome (BSR) was established in 1901 and granted a UK Royal Charter in 1912. Its mission is " ...

during her career, and served as the Chairman of the Faculty from 1954-59. In 1962, Toynbee organised a major exhibition at the Guildhall Museum on the subject of Roman Art in Britain, resulting in a key publication. She was married. A complete list of her works was published in the Papers of the

British School at Rome The British School at Rome (BSR) is an interdisciplinary research centre supporting the arts, humanities and architecture. History The British School at Rome (BSR) was established in 1901 and granted a UK Royal Charter in 1912. Its mission is " ...

Honours

Toynbee was elected a

Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

(FSA) in 1943. She was awarded the

medal of the Royal Numismatic Society The Medal of the Royal Numismatic Society was first awarded in 1883. It is awarded by the Royal Numismatic Society and is one of the highest markers of recognition given to numismatists. The President and Council award the Medal annually to an "indi ...

in 1948. In 1952, she was elected a

Fellow of the British Academy Fellowship of the British Academy (FBA) is an award granted by the British Academy to leading academics for their distinction in the humanities and social sciences. The categories are: # Fellows – scholars resident in the United Kingdom # C ...

(FBA). In 1956 she was awarded the

Huntington Medal Huntington may refer to: Places Canada * Huntington, Nova Scotia New Zealand * Huntington, New Zealand a suburb in Hamilton, New Zealand United Kingdom * Huntington, Cheshire, England * Huntington, East Lothian, Scotland * Huntington, ...

of the

American Numismatic Society The American Numismatic Society (ANS) is a New York City-based organization dedicated to the study of coins, money, medals, tokens, and related objects. Founded in 1858, it is the only American museum devoted exclusively to their preservation ...

. She was elected a Foreign Honorary Member of the

American Academy of Arts and Sciences The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (abbreviation: AAA&S) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, and ...

in 1973. In 1977, an edited volume of 20 papers was published in honour of Toynbee, in which

Martin Robertson Charles Martin Robertson (11 September 1911 – 26 December 2004) was a British classical scholar and poet. He specialised in the art and archaeology of Ancient Greece. Early life He was the elder son of Donald Struan Robertson and Petica Cour ...

states that “No one has done more than she – no one perhaps so much – to establish and make clear the profound unity of the Greco-Roman artistic tradition”. A further collected volume of papers in memory of Toynbee was published in 1988.

Works

*''The Hadrianic school: a chapter in the history of Greek art'', 1934 *''Roman Medallions'', 1944 *''Some Notes on Artists in the Roman World'', Brussels, 1951 *''Christianity in Roman Britain'', 1953 *''The Ara Pacis Reconsidered'', ''Proc. Brit. Acad. '',1953 *(with J.B. Ward-Perkins) ''The Shrine of St Peter and the Vatican Excavations'', 1956 *''The Flavian Reliefs from the Palazzo delle Cancellaria in Rome'', 1957 *''Art in Roman Britain'', 1962 *''Art in Britain under the Romans'', 1964 *''The Art of the Romans'', 1965 *''Death and Burial in the Roman World'', 1971 *''Animals in Roman Life and Art'', 1973 *''Roman Historical Portraits'', 1978 * ''The Roman Art Treasures from The Temple of Mithras'' 1986

References

External links

*Sorensen, Lee.
Toynbee,_Jocelyn_Mary_C[atherine
/nowiki>.html" ;"title="therine">Toynbee, Jocelyn Mary C[atherine
/nowiki>">therine">Toynbee, Jocelyn Mary C[atherine
/nowiki>" In ''Dictionary of Art Historians'' (retrieved 20 December 2009).
The Ara Pacis Reconsidered, 1953, by Jocelyn M. C. Toynbee
* Hatfield, Linda, 1972
"Jocelyn Mary Catherine Toynbee"
In Papers of the

* J.M. Reynolds, 1993.
Jocelyn Mary Catherine Toynbee
In Proceedings of the British Academy {{DEFAULTSORT:Toynbee, Jocelyn 1897 births 1985 deaths Fellows of Newnham College, Cambridge English archaeologists English art historians Academics of the University of Reading Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Women art historians Alumni of Newnham College, Cambridge Laurence Professors of Classical Archaeology British women archaeologists British numismatists Women numismatists Fellows of the British Academy Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries of London British women historians Alumni of the University of Oxford