Samuel Courtauld (art collector)

Samuel Courtauld
Born7 May 1876
Died1 December 1947(1947-12-01) (aged 71)
NationalityBritish
OccupationIndustrialist
Known forArt collector, founder of Courtauld Institute
SpouseElizabeth Theresa Frances Kelsey (known as Lil)
Parent(s)Sydney Courtauld and Sarah Lucy Sharpe
RelativesStephen Courtauld (brother)
Catharine Dowman (sister)

The Strand block of Somerset House, designed by William Chambers from 1775 to 1780, has housed The Courtauld Institute of Art since 1989.

Samuel Courtauld (7 May 1876 – 1 December 1947) was an English industrialist who is best remembered as an art collector. He founded The Courtauld Institute of Art in London in 1932 and, after a series of gifts during the 1930s, bequeathed his collection to the institute on his death.

By the early 20th century, the Courtauld family business had become a major international company, having successfully developed and marketed rayon, an artificial fibre and inexpensive silk substitute. Samuel Courtauld took charge of the firm from 1908 as director and as chairman from 1921 to 1946.