Broadcasting

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.

Throughout his career, Maurice de Sausmarez gave radio and television talks and lectures on art history and the discussion around art education reform. He spoke regularly on BBC Home Service discussion programme The Fifty-One Society and on the Third Programme, where he presented his manifesto on adolescent art education Dissipated Octupuses. De Sausmarez also provided educational talks for schools and the wider public on modern art and Cezanne for episodes of the series Talks for Sixth Forms in 1960s.

In 1951, while working at the University of Leeds, de Sausmarez wrote and presented the final episode of the radio series Art in the North. The six part series for the BBC North of England Home Service looked at art and artists from the North as well as the issues faced by young artists in the area. De Sausmarez’s episode, ‘The Future’, spoke about the prospects for art and artists in the region at the time, particularly young artists entering the professional field. His opinion on the North’s ability to support its local art and artists was largely negative. He stated that, though the ‘the rugged toughness’ of the North’s landscape and the ‘grim power of the industrial scene’ provided inspiration to artists, the region didn’t have the infrastructure to support them. He described the prolific migration of Northen artists to London, where they could find art schools, galleries to exhibit their work and an interested and engaged public.

However, de Sausmarez did speak of some positives. He cited the art schools and colleges of Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool as showing signs of ‘new vitality’ and benefiting from a ‘recent infusion of young talent into teaching’. He also praised the galleries of Manchester and Leeds for having ‘made serious efforts’ to improve their collections. He went on to mention travelling exhibitions organised by the Arts Council and an increase in lectures on art as providing further support for students of art.