THE LAST WAR ARTIST, the war diaries and sketches of Cecil Michaelis

201pp., b/w & colour illus., paperback, Cape Town, 2022

Artist and philanthropist Cecil Michaelis (1913 - 1997) was the only son of the British Randlord Sir Max Michaelis. He served in France during World War II and was one of the last official British war artists. In 1988 he donated part of his Cape Town estate to the University of Cape Town, to establish the Montebello Design Centre

"On several occasions Cecil told me a story about his World War II experience as a soldier during street fighting in Paris.  While others were wielding their guns, Cecil took out his pencil and sketched the skirmishes. While conscious that he was lucky not to be court marshalled, he was proud to tell me that some of these sketchbooks are now on display in The War Museum in Paris – testimony he felt to the pencil being mightier than the sword." Tessa Graaff, Director, Montebello Design Centre