Max Germaine (1914,

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

, Australia – 12 July 2006, Sydney) was an Australian fine

art dealer An art dealer is a person or company that buys and sells works of art, or acts as the intermediary between the buyers and sellers of art. An art dealer in contemporary art typically seeks out various artists to represent, and builds relationshi ...

and writer about art and artists. A founding director of

Sotheby's Sotheby's () is a British-founded American multinational corporation with headquarters in New York City. It is one of the world's largest brokers of fine and decorative art, jewellery, and collectibles. It has 80 locations in 40 countries, and ...

Australia, he is best known for his 650-page ''Artists & Galleries of Australia'' (1984/90) which lists nearly 2000 established artists, and ''Dictionary of Women Artists of Australia'' (1991).

Biography

Born in Melbourne in 1914, Max Germaine joined a group of men recruited through the Dominion Yachtsmen Scheme to be trained as officers in the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

for service in the northern hemisphere during World War II. From 1942 he saw service as a

sub-lieutenant Sub-lieutenant is usually a junior officer rank, used in armies, navies and air forces. In most armies, sub-lieutenant is the lowest officer rank. However, in Brazil, it is the highest non-commissioned rank, and in Spain, it is the second high ...

in the

Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RANVR) was a reserve force of the Royal Australian Navy. Formation In late 1920, the Navy Board proposed the creation of an Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve scheme, with approaches made to yac ...

on the destroyer . Towards the end of 1945, as a lieutenant, Germaine was offered temporary command of the destroyer . At the age of 53 Max Germaine entered the art scene. He moved to Sydney in 1962 and joined the board of F. R. Strange Pty Ltd, the

auctioneer An auction is usually a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bids, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder or buying the item from the lowest bidder. Some exceptions to this definition ex ...

s in 1964. In 1967 he started a

fine arts In European academic traditions, fine art is developed primarily for aesthetics or creative expression, distinguishing it from decorative art or applied art, which also has to serve some practical function, such as pottery or most metalwork ...

division of the company. After seeing how closed circuit TV was used at

in London while completing a decorative arts course in 1967, Germaine pioneered its use at auctions in Australia, starting with the sale of the former Wentworth Hotel in Sydney. He retired in 1975 to spend time writing books. In 1994 Max Germaine received a

Medal of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...

for promotion of the arts and artists.

Notes and references

1914 births 2006 deaths Australian art dealers Australian writers People from Sydney Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia {{Australia-writer-stub