Dr. David Bershad
Dr. David Bershad passed peacefully away on Saturday at his home surrounded by friends.
Dr. Bershad began his career at the University of Calgary in 1975 when he was hired at the rank of associate professor. He had completed his doctorate in art history at UCLA in 1970 and had positions as an assistant professor at Arizona State University and Loyola University (Los Angeles) prior to his appointment in Calgary. Dr. Bershad received tenure in 1979 and was promoted to full professor in 1985.
Dr. Bershad was a legendary teacher on our campus, receiving his first teaching award from the Students Union in 1976. He received his most recent teaching excellence award at their 30th anniversary in 2014. Dr. Hans Brummer of Sweden wrote a reference letter for Dr. Bershad for his first teaching position in the early 1970s and described him in the following way: "entertaining; tongue in cheek; loud voice; captivating".
Dr. Bershad upheld this description throughout his career and was identified as one of a handful of popular professors at the University in the annual Maclean's University Rankings. Dr. Bershad was also a frequent lecturer off campus whether at the Glenbow Museum, the Big Rock University Lecture Series, or the Christian Life Centre. He relished opportunities to speak about the ghoulish side of art history in a popular talk on "Melancholy and the Macabre", and also to explore the world of fakes and forgeries in art. Dr. Bershad was also keen to speak about special operations in South East Asia during the 1960s and was a member of the United States Marine Corps Force Recon Association.
Dr. Bershad's research expertise was in the late Renaissance, Baroque, and 18th century European art, with a specialization in Roman Baroque sculpture, and Domenico Guidi. He published articles in Antologia di Belle Arte, the Burlington Magazine, the Encyclopedia of Sculpture, and Oxford Art Online. The Glenbow Museum acknowledged his expertise with an appointment as an associate curator for 3 years in the late 1970s. Many of his observations about Renaissance art were captured in the book, The Christian Travelers Guide to Italy, co-authored with Caroline Mangone and edited by Irving Hexham. Dr. Bershad was the only art historian from North America asked to be part of a panel to determine the authenticity of a recently discovered self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci. He was featured on an Italian newscast about this discovery.
Early in his career, the Calgary Highlander Regiment recognized Dr. Bershad for his volunteer and fundraising activities on their behalf. He became active in the executive of the Calgary Highlanders Regimental Association. In the mid-1980s he was president of the University's Faculty Club, and had been on numerous committees across the university. He was active on the advisory council of St. Mary's University and also the art advisory council of the Military Museums. He had been active with the Canadian Federation for Humanities and Social Sciences Aid to Scholarly Publications in reviewing manuscripts in art history.
Teaching an average of 500 students per year for more than two generations provides a glimmer of the impact he has had on students across all disciplines at the University. His loss as a teacher is immeasurable.
Source: Department of Art, University of Calgary
