Philosopher and historian of ideas scholar; wrote early social histories of art. Boas was born in Providence, Rhode Island, the fifth of seven children of Herman Boas and Sarah Eisenberg (Boas). He attended Classical High School in Providence, RI, where his early interest in Greek and Latin grew. After graduation, Boas studied art at the Rhode Island School of Design under Henry Hunt Clark (b. 1875) and transferred to study English at Brown University, where he completed his B.A. and M.A. in 1913. He studied under the philosopher Josiah Royce (1855-1916) and received his second M.A.

Curator of the Baltimore Museum of Art. Gertrude Rosenthal was born in 1906 to Daniel Rosenthal, a banker, and Rosalie Rosenthal. After her family moved to Cologne following the abrupt passing of her father, Rosenthal received her abitur in 1923. After receiving this degree, she worked in an office role for a chemical company in Cologne. At the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum, she was the assistant at the bookstore from 1925-1927. She became, at around the same time, a journalist for Kölnische Zeitung, a role which she would hold until 1933.