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Meller (Peter) papers
UArch FacP 55
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Description
Career files of University of California, Santa Barbara, Professor of Art History emeritus Peter Meller (1923-2008).
Background
Peter [Meller] was born in Budapest in 1923. Growing up in a privileged and cultured environment, he was encouraged in his
pursuit of creative interests. At school he excelled in the study of Greek and Latin. Although his father was Jewish, his
mother was Catholic, so he was able to continue his education until the occupation of Hungary by German troops in the spring
of 1944, when he had to go into hiding. He and his immediate family escaped the deportations, but 17 members of his father's
extended family perished in the Holocaust. After the war, he completed his degree in the history of art and began his academic
career, teaching but also serving as a curator at the Museum of Fine Arts. Sympathetic to the aims of the Hungarian Revolution
of 1956, he fled with his wife and daughter across the border into Austria to escape the brutal Soviet suppression. He worked
in Italy for a decade before accepting a permanent position at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he remained
for the rest of his life, frequently visiting Europe in connection with his scholarly work.
Extent
76 Linear Feet
(76 cartons)
Restrictions
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Research
Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Department of Special Research Collections as the owner
of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder where the UC Regents do not
hold copyright. For copyright status contact the Department of Special Research Collections.
Availability
The collection is open for research. The collection is stored offsite. Advance notice is required for retrieval.