# Hugh Maxwell Casson artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/hugh-maxwell-casson/
Profile generated: 2026-05-24T04:38:00.000Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Birth date: 1910-05-23
- Death date: 1999-08-15
- Nationality: British
- Movements: Twentieth-century British design
- Common media: watercolor, drawing, print

## About Hugh Maxwell Casson

Sir Hugh Maxwell Casson (1910–1999) was a British architect, interior designer, watercolorist, writer, and broadcaster celebrated for shaping public understanding of twentieth-century design. He is best known as Director of Architecture for the 1951 Festival of Britain, where he orchestrated the modernist transformation of London's South Bank. From 1976 to 1984, he served as President of the Royal Academy, cementing his standing as one of Britain's most influential design figures. Casson also produced a substantial body of watercolors and drawings, many depicting London street scenes and architectural subjects. His wife, Margaret MacDonald Casson, was also a noted designer. Casson was knighted for his contributions to British architecture and design.

## Common works and media

Collectors most often encounter Casson's watercolor cityscapes and street scenes, particularly London views, along with ink and wash architectural drawings. Prints and posters — some related to the Festival of Britain or Royal Academy exhibitions — also circulate at auction. Occasional interior design drawings and exhibition-related ephemera appear. Works are typically modest in scale, reflecting his practice of sketching and painting alongside his architectural career.

## Market and appraisal context

Hugh Casson's works appear regularly at auction, with over 270 recorded lots spanning watercolors, drawings, prints, and posters. His London cityscapes and architectural subjects are the most commonly encountered works. Because Casson was principally an architect and public figure rather than a full-time fine artist, his market is moderate in value and accessible to collectors. Key factors affecting appraisal include the specific subject, medium, condition, provenance, and whether a work connects to his Festival of Britain or Royal Academy tenure. Comparable auction results from Bonhams and other houses provide useful benchmarks.

## Appraisily data basis

Appraisily artist pages combine structured artist identity research from library authority files and museum records with public auction results, auction-house context, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lots when those records are available. For Hugh Maxwell Casson, identity data is grounded in the Getty ULAN, VIAF, Wikidata, the RKD, and the Library of Congress authority file.

## Sources

- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4216803
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Casson
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500006249
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/27338672/
- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n80138757
- RKD - Netherlands Institute for Art History: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/249053