Maximilian Gustav Alfred Cecil Michaelis (born: 19 August 1913 - died: 3 May 1997), was an artist who also practised in glass and ceramics, and a philanthropist who encouraged crafts and design. He was the only son of Sir

Max Michaelis Sir Maximillian Michaelis, (11 May 1852 Eisfeld, Germany – 26 January 1932, Zurich) was a South African financier, mining magnate, benefactor and patron of the arts. Early life and education Michaelis received his early schooling in ...

, a South African

randlord Randlords were the capitalists who controlled the diamond and gold mining industries in South Africa in its pioneer phase from the 1870s up to World War I. A small number of European financiers, largely of the same generation, gained control of th ...

Early life and education

Cecil Michaelis was born in

Cabourg Cabourg (; nrf, Cabouorg) is a commune in the Calvados department, region of Normandy, France. Cabourg is on the coast of the English Channel, at the mouth of the river Dives. The back country is a plain, favourable to the culture of cereal. ...

, France, in 1913, the son of Sir

, a British citizen of German-Jewish extraction who was a self-made

Randlord Randlords were the capitalists who controlled the diamond and gold mining industries in South Africa in its pioneer phase from the 1870s up to World War I. A small number of European financiers, largely of the same generation, gained control of th ...

in South Africa, and Lady Lillian Elizabeth Michaelis (?-1969, London). He studied at the

Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art The Ruskin School of Art, known as the Ruskin, is an art school at the University of Oxford, England. It is part of Oxford's Humanities Division. History The Ruskin grew out the Oxford School of Art, which was founded in 1865 and later became ...

in Oxford, and then moved to Paris where he studied under Henri Dimier and

Othon Friesz Achille-Émile Othon Friesz (6 February 1879 – 10 January 1949), who later called himself Othon Friesz, a native of Le Havre, was a French artist of the Fauvist movement. Biography Othon Friesz was born in Le Havre, the son of a long line of ...

, and was advised by

Georges Rouault Georges Henri Rouault (; 27 May 1871, Paris – 13 February 1958) was a French painter, draughtsman and print artist, whose work is often associated with Fauvism and Expressionism. Childhood and education Rouault was born in Paris into a ...

and

André Derain André Derain (, ; 10 June 1880 – 8 September 1954) was a French artist, painter, sculptor and co-founder of Fauvism with Henri Matisse. Biography Early years Derain was born in 1880 in Chatou, Yvelines, Île-de-France (region), Île-de-Franc ...

.Obituary of Cecil Michaelis by Nicholas Penny
''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...

'', 17 May 1997

Career

Although his family wealth precluded a formal career, Michaelis worked tirelessly at his art, drawing and sculpture whilst dividing his time between France, South Africa and Great Britain. In 1935 Sir Max Michaelis purchased Rycote Park near

Thame Thame is a market town and civil parish in Oxfordshire, about east of the city of Oxford and southwest of Aylesbury. It derives its name from the River Thame which flows along the north side of the town and forms part of the county border wi ...

in Oxfordshire, for Cecil's use while he was studying at the

in Oxford. It remained one of his residences until his death.

Teapots

One of Michaelis' specialities was making teapots, most especially with anti-drip spouts. Whilst serving in the British Army in Sicily he was renowned for both making and teaching the manufacture of teapots.

Exhibitions

His work was exhibited widely from 1940 to 1980 in Paris, New York and London.

Rycotewood College

In the late 1930s his philanthropy established Rycotewood College in the nearby town of Thame as a school dedicated to developing skilled craftsmen. In 2003 it merged with Oxford City College and the Rycote Furniture Centre courses were moved to Oxpens road.

Montebello Design Centre

In 1988 he donated part of his Cape Town estate to the

University of Cape Town The University of Cape Town (UCT) ( af, Universiteit van Kaapstad, xh, Yunibesithi ya yaseKapa) is a public research university in Cape Town, South Africa. Established in 1829 as the South African College, it was granted full university statu ...

so as to setup the ''Montebello D''esign ''Center''.

References

External links

Montebello Design Centre
{{DEFAULTSORT:Michaelis, Cecil 1913 births 1997 deaths People from Cabourg South African mining businesspeople South African sculptors Newlands, Cape Town Alumni of the Ruskin School of Art