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James Loeb

1867 – 1933

American banker, Hellenist and philanthropist

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About James Loeb

Lived 1867 – 1933 (aged 65). James Loeb was an American and German linguist, banker, translator, hellenist, archaeologist and art collector.

James Loeb (; ; August 6, 1867 – May 27, 1933) was an American banker, Hellenist, and philanthropist.

Biography James Loeb, of German-Jewish descent, was the second son of Solomon and Betty Loeb. James Loeb joined his father at Kuhn, Loeb & Co. in New York City in 1888 and was made partner in 1894, but he retired from the bank in 1901 due to severe illness.

In memory of his former lecturer and friend Charles Eliot Norton, Loeb created The Charles Eliot Norton Memorial Lectureship in 1907. In 1911, he founded and endowed the Loeb Classical Library. He assembled a team of Anglo-American classicists to oversee the series, and arranged for publication through the publisher Heinemann in London. Loeb bequeathed the Loeb Classical Library and funds to Harvard University to establish The Loeb Classical Library Foundation and to support research in the classics.

He founded the Institute of Musical Art, which later became part of the Juilliard School of Music. That year he also turned over his collection of Arretine pottery to the Fogg Art Museum at Harvard.

Loeb left a large portion of his significant art collection to the Museum Antiker Kleinkunst in Munich, which became the Staatliche Antikensammlungen ("Sammlung James Loeb"). He was a member of the English Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies.

Loeb's correspondence with Aby Warburg has been characterized as creating a Renaissance of relationships of the European to classical antiquity.

Translations Paul Delcharme, Euripides and the Spirit of His Dreams Maurice Croiset, Aristophanes and the Political Parties at Athens Auguste Couat, Alexandrian Poetry under the First Three Ptolemies, 324-222 B.C.

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Important facts

Birth century
Education
Harvard University, Harvard College
Awards
Honorary doctor of the University of Munich
Also known as
James "Jimmy" Loeb

People in James Loeb's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped James Loeb's

Frequently asked questions

Who was James Loeb?

American banker, Hellenist and philanthropist (1867–1933)

When was James Loeb born?

James Loeb was born on 6 August 1867 in New York City.

When did James Loeb die?

James Loeb died on 27 May 1933 in Munich.

What was James Loeb's occupation?

James Loeb was a linguist, banker, translator, hellenist, archaeologist and art collector.

What nationality was James Loeb?

James Loeb was American and German.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: James Loeb

· Wikidata: Q506426

· DBpedia: James Loeb

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). James Loeb. https://biography.guide/james-loeb/

MLA: "James Loeb." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/james-loeb/.

Chicago: "James Loeb." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/james-loeb/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-21 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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