Skilton, John D. (John Davis), 1909-1992

LC control no.	n 2015068361
Descriptive conventions	rda
Personal name heading	Skilton, John D. (John Davis), 1909-1992 *Browse this term in* LC Authorities or the LC Catalog
Found in	Memoirs of a monuments office, 2008: t.p. (John D. Skilton) NUCMC data from Rutherford B. Hayes Pres. Center for His Papers, 1913-1950 (John Davis Skilton, Jr. was born February 28, 1909, the youngest child of John D. Skilton, Sr. and Ida Beistel Skilton, in Cheshire, Conn. He attended The Peddie School in Highstown, N.J. (1924-1927) and graduated from The Roxbury School in Cheshire 1929. Skilton went to Yale University, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1933 and a Master of Arts degree in 1936. He also studied at the Univ. of Paris through a Carnegie Scholarship, summer 1935, and New York Univ.-Institute of Fine Arts, 1936-1939. Skilton travelled to Spain with classmates, summer 1929, and then to northern Europe alone or with aunts the summers of 1930, 1932, 1934, and 1935. He worked as a Lecturer at the Art Institute of Chicago, summer 1933, and held a Rockefeller Fellowship, Museum Intern at the Brooklyn Museum, 1935-1936. Other employment in the field of art included New York World's Fair, Masterpieces of Art Exhibition lecturer, 1939, and the American National Committee of Engraving, 1941. Skilton was hired at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Sept. 1942 and worked there until his induction into the U.S. Army a year later. While at the National Gallery he was assigned as resident curator at Biltmore, N.C. Jan. to June 1943. Skilton was drafted Sept. 1943 and initially sent to a camp near Boston to be evaluated for future assignment. He was sent to Camp Chase, Ark. for training in the 69th Medical Detachment, Armed Infantry Battalion but eventually received a transfer to the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives section ("Monuments Men"). He was stationed in England June 1944 and then France in July, working with the Civil Affairs division. His fluency in French made him a valued driver and interpreter for higher ranking officers and helped in his work assisting displaced French citizens return to their former homes. Upon entering the village of Plougastel-Daoulas near Brest, France he recognized the damaged statue Le Calvaire, moved the fragments to a place of safety, and after the war raised funds for its restoration. For his dedication to Plougsatel, he was later named an honorary citizen and the town square named after him. Skilton was transferred to Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives Mar. 1945 where he took part in recovering several large deposits of art works, stolen by the Nazis, in places such as Neuschwanstein Castle, Buxheim, and Castle Rothenfels. He was the first to recognize the activities of Task Force Rosenberg. Perhaps Skilton's greatest contribution to preserving art works was his effort to stabilize the Trepolo ceiling fresco at the heavily damaged Residenz palace in Wurzburg, Germany. Through great effort and personal expense he oversaw the repair of the palace roof before rain could cause further damage. In honor of this effort he was awarded the Verdienst Kreuz, First Class by the West German government after the war. After the war Skilton returned to the U.S. and worked as an art historian and curator at the Detroit Institute of Art and the Parke-Bernet Gallery in New York City. He and his partner, Ernest Hillman, helped organize and were very active in the Bridgeport (Connecticut) Hist. Soc. One of their major projects was the restoration of the Harral-Wheeler mansion in Bridgeport. In 1961 Skilton was elected president of the Marcella Sembrich Memorial Assoc. and also served on the Boards of Directors of the Spoleto Festival and Spoleto Festival USA at Charleston, S.C. He died Jan. 22, 1992 in Fairfield, Conn.)