10th Mar, 2026 10:00
Paint. Print. Sculpt.
162
▲ Keith Michell (Australian, 1926-2015)
Trees, Hampstead Heath
signed 'Michell' l.r., oil on board
23 x 24cm; framed 29.5 x 30.5cm
Provenance:The artist;
thence by descent.
The works by Keith Michell offered for sale in this auction are from the artist's private collection, and previously hung on the walls of his home in Hampstead. They evoke memories of his Australian homeland, his travels, his garden, his beloved Majorca and his extraordinary career as an award-winning actor.
Born in Adelaide, South Australia, in 1926, Keith Michell initially pursued a career in the fine arts, before an offer of a place at the legendary Old Vic Theatre School prompted a life-changing move to London, marking the start of an extraordinary career treading the boards. His work as an actor, singer, designer and director spanned six decades - including critically acclaimed Shakespearean roles with Sir Laurence Olivier’s Old Vic Theatre Company, and starring roles in hit musicals 'Robert & Elizabeth', 'Man of La Mancha', 'La Cage aux Folles' and 'Irma La Douce' in the West End and on Broadway - inspiring a a whole generation of performers. Alongside his tenure as Artistic Director of the Chichester Festival Theatre (1974–77), Keith will forever be associated with his iconic portrayal of Henry VIII in the seminal 1970s television series 'The Six Wives of Henry VIII' for which he won a BAFTA.
Throughout his life, Keith continued to develop his artistic practice and, while working on film and stage productions, he often sketched and painted as part of his creative process in building a role. This lifelong commitment culminated in the exhibition 'Keith Michell: A Life in the Arts', a retrospective held at the Menier Gallery, London, in 2016. Curated by Keith’s daughter, actress Helena Michell, and her husband, writer and fine artist Simon David Eden, the exhibition was presented in support of Paintings in Hospitals, reaffirming Keith’s belief in art as both a personal practice and a public gift.
Keith Michell lived in Hampstead most of his adult life, first opposite the old Bull and Bush and then on East Heath Road. He loved the Heath, and painted many pictures of it. He walked it often with his beloved dog Duff (named after the character MacDuff which he played opposite Sir Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh in Shakespeare’s 'Scottish Play'), whilst learning his lines by speaking them out loud, to the surprise and delight of many locals.
We are grateful to the family of Keith Michell for their assistance with the cataloguing of this lot.
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Sold for £180
Condition Report
Under raking light there is a little patchiness to the varnish. A little possible retouching to the sky in the upper right corner, however presents well overall. Not examined under UV light, for a full report please contact the department.
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Auction: Paint. Print. Sculpt., 10th Mar, 2026
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