The Birth of the University's Department of Fine Art

Maurice de Sausmarez and Leeds

An exploration of the artist, writer and art educator Maurice de Sausmarez's time in Leeds, including his tenure as Lecturer and Head of the Department of Fine Art at the University of Leeds.

The Birth of the University's Department of Fine Art

Maurice de Sausmarez's relationship with the city of Leeds.

Gregory Fellowships

The Gregory Fellowships in the Creative Arts were established in 1949 and ran until 1980.

The University Art Collection

Maurice de Sausmarez's support for the Gregory Fellows continued in his involvement with and recommendations to the University's Art Collection.

Alongside his contributions to the development of the University’s Fine Art Department and the work of the Gregory Fellows, Maurice de Sausmarez was also heavily involved in cultural activities on campus.

Makerere College School of Art

In July 1952, while working as Lecturer and Head of Fine Art, de Sausmarez visited the Makerere College School of Art in Uganda. He visited the college, at the request of the Inter-University Council for Higher Education in the Colonies, to advise on the development of the school and a new Diploma course.

Lectures and Extramural Teaching

Alongside of his work at the University, de Sausmarez also lectured and taught extensively throughout the region. He organised and chaired several lecture series both for students and the public, giving many of the lectures himself and helping to broaden interest in the study of art.

Broadcasting

Throughout his career, Maurice de Sausmarez gave talks and lectures on art history and the discussion around art education reform through various radio and TV broadcasts.

Basic Design

'Basic Design', inspired by Bauhaus education principles, played a vital role in revolutionising art school teaching in Britain in the 1950s and 1960s. The two main principles of the movement were a reasoned and objective approach to teaching and the importance of embracing science, technology and the modern world.

Painting

Maurice de Sausmarez completed many paintings and artworks while living and working in Leeds. He was commissioned to paint several portraits including that of Professor of English Literature and co-founder of the University’s Fine Art Department, Bonamy Dobrée, and of Gregory Fellow in Poetry, James Kirkup.

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In 1950, when Maurice de Sausmarez was appointed as lecturer of Fine Art at the University of Leeds, the Fine Art Department was in its infancy.

The department had been recently founded by Professor of English Literature Bonamy Dobrée and art historian and critic Sir Herbert Read. At their recommendation de Sausmarez set about developing a curriculum where practical art classes were taught in tandem with art history. At the time few universities taught Fine Art as an academic subject and even fewer included any form of practical study. De Sausmarez had a room at the University that he used as a studio, and he encouraged any interested students to also make use of it.

De Sausmarez found the response within the University to the development of the Fine Art Department 'immeasurably encouraging', as these notes show. Fine Art courses were being integrated into the new BA in Textile Design and plans to extend this to also include the Ceramics course were in place. De Sausmarez also wrote about the unique opportunity to establish Leeds as an important Northern centre of art education, the first of its kind outside London.

The hand drawn floorplan seen here depicts de Sausmarez’s ideal arrangement for a new Department of Fine Art. His plans include teaching and research studios, a departmental library and gallery space. In the accompanying notes he also stated that considerable space had been allocated for storage, a workshop and garage space dedicated to the University’s art collection and loans. It’s clear that de Sausmarez saw the Fine Art Department’s teaching activities entirely entwined with the University’s collecting and exhibiting of art.

De Sausmarez was promoted to the position of Head of Fine Art in 1951, a year after his initial appointment. He remained in this post until 1959, after resigning in November of the previous year. He was succeeded by artist and art historian Quentin Bell.