Quick Facts
- Born:
- March 29, 1869, Istanbul, Turk.
- Died:
- July 20, 1955, Lisbon, Port. (aged 86)
- Founder:
- Gulbenkian Museum
Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.
Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Calouste Gulbenkian
British financier, industrialist, and philanthropist
Also known as: Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian
Calouste Gulbenkian (born March 29, 1869, Istanbul, Turk.âdied July 20, 1955, Lisbon, Port.) was a Turkish-born British financier, industrialist, and philanthropist. In 1911 he helped found the Turkish Petroleum Co. (later Iraq Petroleum Co.) and became the first to exploit Iraqi oil; his 5% share made him one of the worldâs richest men. From 1948 he negotiated Saudi Arabian oil concessions to U.S. firms. He amassed an outstanding art collection of some 6,000 works, now in Lisbonâs Calouste Gulbenkian Museum. The Lisbon-based Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation supports activities worldwide in science, art, social welfare, cultural relations, health, and education.
This article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.
Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors.
By clicking âSign Upâ, you consent to the Britannica
Privacy Policy
and
Terms of Use.