Dr. Kurt Gitter (1937–2026)
It is with tremendous sadness that I note the passing last week of the pioneering collector, dear friend, enthusiastic client, philanthropist, and personal supporter, Dr. Kurt Gitter (1937–2026). A distinguished retinal surgeon, Kurt was celebrated for his total commitment to patient care as well as medical research and creativity. As a Holocaust survivor, he treasured family above all else and was a deeply devoted father and husband. He was also a beloved friend and colleague to so many in the areas of medicine, art, education, and Jewish culture.
Captivated by the mystery and brilliance of Japan while living there in the 1960s as a United States Air Force medical doctor, Kurt became an avid collector of and advocate for Japanese art. He and his beautiful and astute wife Alice amassed a seminal collection of Edo-period painting with a dedicated focus on Zenga. In 2023, they spoke about their Zenga in our Zoom gallery talk, "Zenga: Filling in the Lines on Japanese Zen Painting," which can be viewed here. Over the course of their countless travels in Japan, they also befriended a few ceramic artists as their collection interests had expanded to include contemporary Japanese ceramics.
Kurt’s lifelong passion for knowledge and education were at the heart of his philanthropic efforts. He and Alice made generous gifts to many museums and research institutions to support the field of Japanese art. They also lent masterworks from their vast collection for focused museum exhibitions in the United States and abroad, including venues in Australia, Israel, and Japan. These shows were accompanied by scholarly publications exploring new areas of research and collecting that featured essays by leading experts in the field. Through their generous support for scholarly research and travel, Kurt and Alice were inspired to establish the Gitter-Yelen Foundation to promote the continued study of Japanese art.
On a more personal note, I have fond memories of so many evening conversations spent with Kurt with our favorite vodka martinis in hand. He was always sure to ask after the health of our mutual friends, other collectors, and even my own family. Charming, with a perpetual twinkle in his eyes, Kurt’s enthusiasm for Japanese art was truly infectious. Kurt was a larger-than-life figure to all who knew him.