Michael Jaffé

Michael Jaffé. He was a distinguished British art historian and museum director renowned for his expertise in Flemish painting and Old Master drawings. His scholarly career was deeply connected to the University of Cambridge and the Fitzwilliam Museum, where he served as director. Jaffé is best remembered for his authoritative catalogues and studies on Peter Paul Rubens, making significant contributions to the field of connoisseurship.

Early life and education

Born in 1923, Michael Jaffé was educated at Eton College, a prestigious independent school in England. He subsequently won a scholarship to King's College, Cambridge, where he read history of art. His studies at the University of Cambridge were interrupted by service in the British Army during the Second World War. After the war, he returned to Cambridge to complete his degree, laying the foundation for his future career in the arts.

Career

Jaffé began his professional life as an assistant lecturer at the University of Cambridge. In 1952, he joined the staff of the Fitzwilliam Museum as an assistant keeper, rising to become its director in 1973, a position he held until 1990. During his tenure, he oversaw significant acquisitions and bolstered the museum's holdings of European art. He also served as a trustee for the National Gallery and the British Museum, and was a respected advisor to major auction houses like Sotheby's and Christie's. His expertise was frequently sought by institutions such as the Royal Collection and the J. Paul Getty Museum.

Contributions to art history

Michael Jaffé's principal contribution was his lifelong study of Peter Paul Rubens, establishing him as a leading international authority. He revolutionized the understanding of the artist's oil sketches and preparatory drawings, attributing numerous works and clarifying Rubens's creative process. His connoisseurship extended to other Flemish Baroque painters, including Anthony van Dyck and Jacob Jordaens. Jaffé also made substantial contributions to the study of British art, particularly the drawings of William Hogarth and Thomas Gainsborough. His meticulous approach influenced methodologies at major museums like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Louvre.

Major publications

Jaffé was a prolific author. His seminal work, Rubens: Catalogo Completo, published in 1989, remains a cornerstone of Rubens studies. Other key publications include The Devonshire Collection of Italian Drawings and The Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection: European Drawings. He authored important catalogues for exhibitions at the Royal Academy of Arts and contributed extensively to the Burlington Magazine. His scholarship on drawings is also evident in his catalogues for the Fitzwilliam Museum and the Ashmolean Museum.

Personal life

Michael Jaffé was married to Vanessa Jaffé, a noted authority on Italian Renaissance sculpture. The couple had two children. He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1981 for his services to the arts. Known for his sharp eye and sometimes combative scholarly style, he was a formidable figure in the world of art history. He died in Cambridge in 1997.

Category:British art historians Category:20th-century art historians Category:Alumni of King's College, Cambridge Category:Directors of the Fitzwilliam Museum