Michael Kauffmann, a former director of the Courtauld Institute and a distinguished scholar in the field of art history, passed away at the age of 92. Known for his exceptional abilities, Kauffmann’s career spanned several decades and culminated in two notable projects – the installation of paintings, prints, and drawings at the Victoria and Albert Museum’s Henry Cole Wing, and the relocation of academics, students, and a vast collection to the Courtauld’s new premises at Somerset House in 1989.
Despite not primarily being an administrator, Kauffmann successfully completed these tasks with remarkable efficiency. He was a scholar with broad academic interests, particularly focused on the history of illuminated manuscripts from the period following the Norman conquest. He considered this period as a time when English painting achieved international recognition comparable to the age of Constable and Turner.
Born Claus Michael Kauffmann in Frankfurt, he was the son of Tamara and Arthur Kauffmann. His family, who initially managed the Hugo Helbing auction house, emigrated to Britain in the 1930s to escape the growing antisemitism. Kauffmann attended schools in Burnley and Clitheroe before studying modern history at Merton College, Oxford. His postgraduate studies took place at the Warburg Institute in London, where he developed his doctoral thesis on illustrated manuscripts related to the Roman baths at Pozzuoli.
Kauffmann’s career as a curator began at Manchester City Art Gallery, and he later joined the V&A, where he dedicated a significant portion of his scholarship to the museum’s collections. His work ranged from studying medieval images to landscapes by renowned artists such as John Constable and John Varley. One of his notable achievements during this period was the publication of a comprehensive survey on Romanesque manuscripts from 1066 to 1190.
In 1985, Kauffmann became the director of the Courtauld Institute, facing the challenge of managing a diverse group of specialists and overseeing the institution’s relocation to Somerset House. Despite these obstacles, the move was successful and allowed the institution to expand its student body significantly. Kauffmann’s retirement provided him with the opportunity to focus on further research, resulting in monumental publications on biblical imagery in medieval England and picturing food in the Bible.
Michael Kauffmann was not only a respected scholar but also a kind and hospitable individual whose breadth of interests touched many. He is survived by his two sons, Francis and Martin.
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