DENISON ROSS

An Orientalist and one of the world's foremost linguists, specialising in languages of the Far East. He could read forty-nine languages, and speak thirty of them. From 1896 until 1901 he was Professor of Persian at University College, London. Taking leave in 1897, he travelled extensively in central Asia and Persia. He spent the years 1901 to 1914 in India, firstly as principal of the Calcutta Madrasa (1901-11), and later as keeper of the records of the Government of India. In 1916 he was appointed the first Director (and simultaneously Professor of Persian) of the newly established School of Oriental Studies in the University of London.The Exhibition of Persian Art was held in March 1931.