ARTIST BIOGRAPHY

Madeleine Jörgensen (née Levick) (1900 – 1960)

Madeleine lived in Belgrave with her husband Dr. Elef Jörgensen in Taunus House, designed and constructed by her husband in 1931. The building was later added to in the 1940s by Montsalvat artist Matcham Skipper and her brother-in-law and Montsalvat founder Justus Jörgensen, who also became her teacher.

For a time Madeleine home schooled her children in the front room of their house, which later grew into a fully-fledged private home school as she took on other local children as students. Later in the 1940s she turned the schoolroom into her painting studio.

When the 1950s came around her studio was converted to accommodate her husband’s new doctor’s surgery. In its place, Justus Jörgensen designed and constructed a new bluestone building at the rear of the property for Madeleine to use as her studio.

Many of the works you see on display here would have been painted by Madeleine in one of these two home studios.

Madeleine had two children Jenny and Michael, who saved her artwork after her passing, later gifting them to Montsalvat.

These pieces form part of an extensive 2016 bequest of artworks to the Montsalvat Collection by the late Michael Jörgensen (1931–2017). Montsalvat is profoundly grateful to Michael for his generosity and years of friendship and support.

Montsalvat Collection

Madeleine Jorgensen

Portraits from the Michael Jorgensen Bequest

The Residents Gallery

18th May 2021 to 22nd June 2021

Biddy Northe, Painted at Belgrave, 1946, Madeleine Jorgensen