Michael Jaffé
Encyclopedia
Professor Michael Jaffé was a British art historian and curator
. He was Director of the Fitzwilliam Museum
in Cambridge
, England
for 17 years, from 1973 to 1990.
, he was educated at Wagner’s and at Eton College
. Jaffé's undergraduate studies were delayed for four years by World War II
, during which time he served in the RNVR. He came up to King's College, Cambridge
in 1945, studying History before changing to English, in which subject he got a First. He became President of the Marlowe Society
, and was editor of Granta
while a student. After Cambridge, he studied art history at the Courtauld Institute, where he attended Johannes Wilde’s lectures and had access to the Seilern Collection; this was followed by research at Harvard on Rubens
and his contemporaries.
He became a Fellow of King's in 1952, holding the position until his death, and was appointed as the University's only Assistant Lecturer in Fine Arts in 1956, and began undergraduate teaching in the subject. He held the post for four years until going to Washington University in 1960, where he was briefly Professor of Renaissance Art until returning to Cambridge University in 1961, when he was appointed Lecturer in Fine Arts. In 1968 he was appointed Reader in History of Western Art, and he became Head of Department of History of Art in 1970, a position he held until 1973 and his appointment to the Directorship of the Fitzwilliam Museum.
Jaffé married Patricia Milne-Henderson in 1964, and they had two sons and two daughters. Jaffé owned the country house Clifton Maybank
near Yeovil in Somerset. He was appointed a CBE
in 1989. He died on 13 July 1997. A bronze portrait bust of Jaffé by Elisabeth Frink
is in the Fitzwilliam.
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
. He was Director of the Fitzwilliam Museum
Fitzwilliam Museum
The Fitzwilliam Museum is the art and antiquities museum of the University of Cambridge, located on Trumpington Street opposite Fitzwilliam Street in central Cambridge, England. It receives around 300,000 visitors annually. Admission is free....
in Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
for 17 years, from 1973 to 1990.
Life
Born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, he was educated at Wagner’s and at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
. Jaffé's undergraduate studies were delayed for four years by World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, during which time he served in the RNVR. He came up to King's College, Cambridge
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
in 1945, studying History before changing to English, in which subject he got a First. He became President of the Marlowe Society
Marlowe Society
The Marlowe Society is a Cambridge University theatre club for Cambridge students. It is dedicated to achieving a high standard of student drama in Cambridge...
, and was editor of Granta
Granta
Granta is a literary magazine and publisher in the United Kingdom whose mission centers on its "belief in the power and urgency of the story, both in fiction and non-fiction, and the story’s supreme ability to describe, illuminate and make real." In 2007, The Observer stated, "In its blend of...
while a student. After Cambridge, he studied art history at the Courtauld Institute, where he attended Johannes Wilde’s lectures and had access to the Seilern Collection; this was followed by research at Harvard on Rubens
Rubens
Rubens is often used to refer to Peter Paul Rubens , the Flemish artist.Rubens may also refer to:- People :Family name* Paul Rubens Rubens is often used to refer to Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), the Flemish artist.Rubens may also refer to:- People :Family name* Paul Rubens (composer) Rubens is...
and his contemporaries.
He became a Fellow of King's in 1952, holding the position until his death, and was appointed as the University's only Assistant Lecturer in Fine Arts in 1956, and began undergraduate teaching in the subject. He held the post for four years until going to Washington University in 1960, where he was briefly Professor of Renaissance Art until returning to Cambridge University in 1961, when he was appointed Lecturer in Fine Arts. In 1968 he was appointed Reader in History of Western Art, and he became Head of Department of History of Art in 1970, a position he held until 1973 and his appointment to the Directorship of the Fitzwilliam Museum.
Jaffé married Patricia Milne-Henderson in 1964, and they had two sons and two daughters. Jaffé owned the country house Clifton Maybank
Clifton Maybank
Clifton Maybank is a hamlet in west Dorset, England. It is perhaps best known for Clifton Maybank House, a country house with surviving Tudor fabric.-Clifton Maybank settlement:...
near Yeovil in Somerset. He was appointed a CBE
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
in 1989. He died on 13 July 1997. A bronze portrait bust of Jaffé by Elisabeth Frink
Elisabeth Frink
Dame Elisabeth Jean Frink, DBE, CH, RA was an English sculptor and printmaker...
is in the Fitzwilliam.
Selected works
- Van Dyck's Antwerp Sketchbook 1966
- Rubens 1967
- Jacob Jordaens 1593–1678 1968
- Rubens and Italy 1977
- Rubens: catalogo completo 1989
- Old master drawings from Chatsworth 1993
- editor of The Devonshire Collection of Italian Drawings 1994