John Russell Pope

John Russell Pope, FAIA and RIBA (Hon.), was one of the most celebrated classical architects of the early twentieth century for his design practice based in the Beaux-Arts tradition. His projects include the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Natural History Museum in New York City, and additions to the British Museum and the Tate Gallery in London. He is the designer of many monumental Beaux-Arts buildings in Washington, D.C., including the Scottish Rite Temple, Constitution Hall, the American Institute of Pharmacy building, the National Archives, the National Gallery of Art, and the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. After studying medicine at the College of New York City, Pope earned a doctorate in the School of Mines at Columbia University in 1894, then became the first recipient of a fellowship in architecture from the American Academy in Rome (1894-97). He also studied at the …cole des Beaux-Arts, returning to New York in 1900 where he opened his architectural practice. Pope later served as president of the American Academy in Rome; his many other affiliations include the National Academy of Arts and Letters, the Beaux-Arts Institute of Design, the Architectural League of New York, and the Federal Board of Consulting Architects. He was the recipient of numerous honorary degrees, awards, and medals, among them the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter Gold Medal, National Academician, and Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor.