Frederick Franck
Born(1909-04-12)12 April 1909
Died5 June 2006(2006-06-05) (aged 97)
Warwick, New York, United States
Known forSculpture, Painting, Drawing

Frederick Sigfred Franck (April 12, 1909 – June 5, 2006) was a painter, sculptor, and author of more than 30 books on Buddhism and other subjects, who was known for his interest in human spirituality. He became a United States citizen in 1945. He was a dental surgeon by trade, and worked with Dr. Albert Schweitzer in Africa from 1958 to 1961.[1]

His sculptures are in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Fogg Art Museum, the Tokyo National Museum, and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.

His major creation was a sculpture garden and park adjacent to his home in Warwick, New York, which he called Pacem in Terris ("Peace on Earth"). In 1959, he and his wife, Claske Berndes Franck, purchased the six-acre property, the site of an old grist mill which had become a dumping ground, for $800.[2] They opened Pacem in Terris to the public in 1966. Dr. Franck dedicated it to Dr. Albert Schweitzer, Pope John XXIII, and the Buddhist teacher D.T. Suzuki.[3] More than 70 sculptures adorn the property, which is now operated by a nonprofit foundation.

Bibliography

References

  1. ^ "Frederick Franck | Remembering Spiritual Masters | Spirituality & Practice". www.spiritualityandpractice.com. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
  2. ^ [1] Los Angeles Times obituary, June 19, 2006
  3. ^ "Pacem in Terris: A Retreat Dedicated to Peace and Art - New York Times". Archived from the original on 2011-05-02. Retrieved 2011-05-31. New York Times article about Pacem in Terris, July 7, 2006