# Alexander Soper

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**Alexander Coburn Soper III** (February 18, 1904 – January 13, 1993) was an American [art historian](/source/Art_historian) who specialized in [Asian art](/source/Asian_art). He was a longtime editor of the journal *[Artibus Asiae](/source/Artibus_Asiae)* and professor at the [Institute of Fine Arts](/source/Institute_of_Fine_Arts) of [New York University](/source/New_York_University). He won the [Charles Lang Freer Medal](/source/Charles_Lang_Freer_Medal) in 1990.

## Life and career

Soper was born in [Chicago](/source/Chicago) on February 18, 1904. He graduated from [Hamilton College](/source/Hamilton_College_(New_York)) in 1925 with a bachelor's degree, and from [Princeton University](/source/Princeton_University) in 1929 with a master's degree in [architecture](/source/Architecture). He lived in Japan for some time, before returning to Princeton and earning a Ph.D. in art history in 1944. He taught at [Bryn Mawr College](/source/Bryn_Mawr_College), and then at the Institute of Fine Arts (IFA) for more than 30 years from 1960. After retiring from full-time teaching in the 1980s, he remained a doctoral adviser at IFA.[1]

Soper served as editor of the academic journal *[Artibus Asiae](/source/Artibus_Asiae)* from 1958 until his death in 1993. His scholarship covered the breath of Asian art, ranging from [Chinese](/source/Chinese_architecture) and [Japanese architecture](/source/Japanese_architecture) to Indian Buddhist sculpture.[1]

In 1990, he became the ninth person to be awarded the [Charles Lang Freer Medal](/source/Charles_Lang_Freer_Medal) by the [Smithsonian Institution](/source/Smithsonian_Institution).[2]

## Personal

Soper had a son, John, who lived in [New Hampshire](/source/New_Hampshire), and four grandchildren. He died at his home in [Rosemont, Pennsylvania](/source/Rosemont,_Pennsylvania), on January 13, 1993, at the age of 88.[1]

## References

1. ["Alexander Soper, 88; Historian of Asian Art"](https://www.nytimes.com/1993/01/14/obituaries/alexander-soper-88-historian-of-asian-art.html). *New York Times*. January 14, 1993. Retrieved April 22, 2015.

1. Soper, Alexander. (1990). [*A Case of Meaningful Magic.*](http://siris-libraries.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=all&source=~!silibraries&uri=full=3100001~!872586~!0#focus)

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