Jerome J. "Jerry" Pollitt

1934 - 2024

Jerome "Jerry" J. Pollitt
Jerome Jordan Pollitt was born on November 26, 1934 to John K. Pollitt, a New Jersey business man and mayor, and Doris Jordan (Pollitt). A 1953 graduate of the Hotchkiss School, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts from Yale University in 1957 followed by a Fulbright Scholarship at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. After returning to the United States, he was drafted and served a term in the United States Army before earning his Doctorate of Philosophy from Columbia University in 1963.
While at Columbia, Pollitt became an instructor at his alma mater, Yale, in 1962, and become a full professor in 1973. Following that appointment, he also served as Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Archaeology from 1973 until 1977.
Pollitt's time in Greece ignited a lifelong passion for ancient Greece and classical study. He devoted much of his 40 year career to exploring the paralleled cultural currents between expression in ancient Greek art and in Greek literature and philosophy. He examined this theme in several of his six books, including Art and Experience in Classical Greece, The Ancient View of Greek Art, and Art in the Hellenistic Age. His commitment to these studies was shared with his wife, Susan; they co-authored two books together, and would also occasionally teach together.
Pollitt's impact from his scholarship and teaching is extensive. As a result of his academic achievements, Pollitt was selected to serve as Dean of the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in 1986. He was subsequently appointed as the John M. Schiff Professor of Classical Archaeology and History of Art in 1990, and named as the Sterling Professor of Classical Archeology and the History of Art in 1995. Pollitt was one of a few Yale professors that have served as chair of two departments: art history and classics. He was given the title of Emeritus upon retirement.
Pollitt's scholarship has also been recognized with several distinctions. He has been honored with the William Clyde DeVane Medal from the Yale chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for distinguished scholarship and teaching and with the Wilbur Lucius Cross Medal from the Alumni Association of the Yale Graduate School.
Jerry enthusiastically taught that the conventions of literature, art, and even politics are derived from our classical heritage. He believed that the past is vitally important in understanding the world in which we live, and his commitment to this showed in his teaching. Pollitt was respected and revered by his students, undergraduates and graduates alike. He is remembered for his erudition, balance of approachability, and his generosity with his time. He brought tremendous learning to the classroom, yet possessed a light wit; he was serious about his subject while also candid. His broad and deep knowledge were central to his scholarship and his view of the past. He did not overly romanticize the past in his studies, while always bringing a holistic way of thinking in his scholarship.
Jerry held immense value to his time spent both within and outside his profession. He took his work seriously, but also knew what came outside of work in life mattered. Jerry was an engaged practitioner of meditation with the Ramakrishna Center of New York. He was intellectually curious while also very funny. He told great stories and was discerning about the truths in life.
Jerry lived in Woodbridge and is survived by his loving wife of 47 years, Susan Baker Matheson. A Yale Memorial Service will be announced at a later date.