Attributed to Francesco Solimena (Canale di Serino 1657-1747 Barra), Portrait of a gentleman, half-length, in a red coat

Attributed to Francesco Solimena (Canale di Serino 1657-1747 Barra)
Portrait of a gentleman, half-length, in a red coat
oil on canvas
28 ¾ x 23 ¾ in. (73 x 60.5 cm.)

WORKS OF ART FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE LATE PROFESSOR MICHAEL JAFFE LOTS 214-266

PROFESSOR MICHAEL JAFFE C.B.E., Litt.D., F.R.S.A (1923-1997), Director of the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge from 1973-1990, is perhaps best remembered for his tireless efforts to rescue works of art which were at risk of export, most notably Van Dyck’s Virgin and Child, Stubb’s Gimcrack, and Renoir’s La Place Clichy. Jaffé was forward-thinking in his approach to museology: under his tenure the Fitzwilliam Museum Trust was established, and he made touring exhibitions to the US and Japan possible, putting the Fitzwilliam and its collection on an international stage.

Born into a family of collectors – his father’s passion was English portrait miniatures – Jaffé grew up versed in the minute details of observation. Following Eton, he served in the Royal Navy. Fellow crew members have recalled him reading passages from Dickens and Hardy over the tannoy. After demobilisation, Jaffé studied at King’s College, Cambridge, then attended the Courtauld Institute of Art. In 1951 he was awarded a Commonwealth fellowship to study at the Fogg Art Museum, the Institute of Fine Arts in New York, and in Berkeley, California. Jaffé returned to Cambridge in 1952 as a Fellow of King’s and four years later was appointed Assistant Lecturer in Fine Arts. In 1968 he was appointed Reader in the History of Western Art and in 1970, through his determination and drive, Cambridge University’s Art History Department was established. Jaffé served as Head of Department from 1970-1973.

The value of Jaffé’s teaching method, always based on observation of the object rather than reproduction, has been widely acknowledged by his many students including Nicholas Serota, the future Director of the Tate Gallery, and the sculptor Antony Gormley.

His scholarly work provided the basis for research on Rubens, and his acclaimed four volumes on the collection of Italian drawings at Chatsworth. He was also responsible for major art historical discoveries including the identification of Van Dyck’s Antwerp Sketchbook at Chatsworth. Jaffé’s academic reach was such that the October 1991 Burlington Magazine contained various tribute essays to him and his varied achievements in art history and museology.