Harry Fath Honored with France’s Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres

Thomas E. Moore, III, AFL Executive Director; Christopher “Kip” Forbes, Chairman of the Board of AFL; Harry Fath; His Excellency Laurent Bili, Ambassador of France to the United States; and Mohamed Bouabdallah, Cultural Counselor of France in the United States and Director of Villa Albertine pose shortly after the ceremony.

Published: May 5, 2025

The French government has bestowed the prestigious title of Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres upon American philanthropist Harry Fath, recognizing his outstanding contributions to the arts and cultural preservation.

The ceremony took place on Monday, May 5, 2025, at Villa Albertine in New York City. The insignia was presented by His Excellency Laurent Bili, Ambassador of France to the United States; with Mohamed Bouabdallah, Cultural Counselor of the France in the United States and Director of Villa Albertine, also officiating. Among those in attendance were Mr. Fath’s wife, Linda Fath; Christopher “Kip” Forbes, Chairman of the Board of American Friends of the Louvre (AFL); and Thomas E. Moore, III, AFL Executive Director; along with select friends and patrons of AFL.

Harry Fath, a Cincinnati-based philanthropist, is the founder of Fath Properties and a 1963 graduate of the University of Notre Dame. He is a member of the International Council of the Louvre of AFL and, together with his wife Linda, has contributed over $500 million to charitable causes in their lifetime, including millions in support to the Louvre Museum.

Recent philanthropic support to the Louvre Museum includes the Faths’ underwriting of the restoration of the Maestà, Cimabue’s 13^th-century chef-d’oeuvre and one of the masterpieces of the Museum’s permanent collection; as well as the acquisition of the previously unknown panel of the same artist, Christ Mocked, which was rediscovered in France in 2019 and declared as a French National Treasure.

Established in 1957 by the French Ministry of Culture, the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres honors individuals who have made notable contributions to the enrichment of the arts and literature in France and around the world. The order comprises three ranks: Commandeur (Commander), Officier (Officer), and Chevalier (Knight). Other recent notable recipients include Barbara Chase-Riboud, Cate Blanchett, Selena Gomez, and Tim Burton.