William Ehrenfeld
William K. Ehrenfeld, MD, an internationally recognized pioneer in vascular surgery, professor emeritus of vascular surgery at UCSF since 1994, world-renowned collector of Southeast Asian and Indian art, and award-winning author of Indian art texts, died on Oct. 27, 2005, after an extended illness. He was 71.
After a long and distinguished career, Ehrenfeld retired from UCSF in 1994 and devoted his time to indulging in his longtime passion: his esteemed art collection dedicated to preserving Indian culture.
A native of New Jersey, William Keve Ehrenfeld studied for four years at the Art Students League of New York before going on to receive his undergraduate degree at Dartmouth College. He attended the New York Medical College, where he received his medical degree in 1960. Ehrenfeld served his internship at Beth Israel Medical Center, NY, and his residency at both Beth Israel Medical Center and Bellevue Hospital before serving his fellowship in vascular surgery under Edwin "Jack" Wylie at UCSF.
In the years that followed, Ehrenfeld was instrumental in establishing the UCSF Vascular Surgery division that became world's leader in training for vascular surgery. Beyond his training of many noted vascular surgeons, he continued to expand this field with his ongoing, innovative achievements in improving the diagnosis and management of diseases of the carotid arteries (in the neck). His landmark monograph, titled "The Diagnosis and Management of Cerebrovascular Disease," was a work celebrated by those aiming to reduce the risk of strokes in the elderly.
He was co-founder of the nonprofit
Pacific Vascular Research Foundation and served as chairman of the Society for Vascular Surgery, founding editor of the Journal of Vascular Surgery and referee for the Western Journal of Medicine. He authored or co-authored some 200 published medical journal articles.
Ehrenfeld was a noted lecturer and panelist, traveling around the globe as a guest professor at hospitals, colleges and vascular societies. These trips introduced him to the magic of Indian culture and to the Southeast Asian and Indian art that would become his passion for more than 30 years.
A once-aspiring artist and medical illustrator, Ehrenfeld thought he knew about art. However, he said, "When I saw Indian art for the first time, it was like a booming wake-up call."
He would go on to become an enthusiastic collector of Indian art, often traveling to India and London to expand his ever-growing collection, which would become known all over the world as "the Ehrenfeld Collection." As time passed, his collecting expanded to include other subjects, but the core of his collection remained the art of Southeast Asia and India.
Indian writer Ratna Rao Shekar praised the artistic eye of this collection: "Dr. Ehrenfeld is a die hard lover of India and its art. He has sought out the unusual and the beautiful wherever it could be found."
The Ehrenfeld Collection eventually was showcased in several extraordinary exhibitions at San Francisco's M.H. deYoung Museum and the California Palace of the Legion of Honor. In 1985 and 1998, selected works from the Ehrenfeld Collection successfully toured museums in both North America and Europe. Three acclaimed scholarly publications accompanied Ehrenfeld's museum exhibitions.
Ehrenfeld chose to enrich the holdings of the museums of the San Francisco Bay Area by donating the majority of his Indian collection to the
Asian Art Museum of San Francisco and the balance of his collections to other local institutions, including
UCSF Laurel Heights, where a group of works - including those by artist Raoul Dufy - was recently installed. Ehrenfeld had steadily gifted items to Bay Area museums throughout his life.
Ehrenfeld is survived by his beloved wife Trudy, his three daughters and their families. He was buried last week in a simple grave in Marin County during a private family service. A memorial service celebrating Ehrenfeld's life is being planned for January 2006.
Ehrenfeld's family requests and encourages that contributions in his memory be made to the Pacific Vascular Research Foundation, 400 Oyster Point Blvd., Suite 130, South San Francisco, CA 94080; telephone 866/482-7285.
Links:
Laurel Heights Displays Ehrenfeld Collection of Textile Designs
Professor Emeritus Donates Huge Collection to Asian Art Museum
Pacific Vascular Research Foundation
