The University Art Collection

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.

De Sausmarez’s support for the Gregory Fellows continued in his involvement with and recommendations to the University’s Art Collection.

In a 1958 memo to Vice Chancellor Charles Morris, de Sausmarez suggested that part of the Art Treasures Fund be used to purchase artworks by Reg Butler, Martin Froy, Kenneth Armitage, Terry Frost and Hubert Dalwood. He recommended that four or five good works could be acquired without spending all the funds available. De Sausmarez also suggested that a small committee could be formed and authorised to spend smaller amounts when works become available, creating a more responsive approach to collecting contemporary work for the University’s Art Collection.

It’s not clear from the memo if de Sausmarez’s recommendations were approved, however, art collection records show that Martin Froy’s painting Nudes Composition (1957) was purchased in 1959 by de Sausmarez on behalf of the University. Records also show that de Sausmarez’s successor as Head of the Department of Fine Art, Quentin Bell, continued to be involved in the collecting and shaping of the University’s Art Collection.