Iziko Old Town House Museum

Iziko Old Town House Museum was built in the Cape Rococo style in Greenmarket Square between 1755 and 1761. It was formerly Cape Town’s City Hall, and now it houses the Michaelis Collection.  It is a small and exquisite museum.  It now contains a world-renowned collection of Netherlandish art from the 17th century, which owes much to Florence Ortrepp (1863-1940), the wife of Sir Lionel Phillips (1855-1936), a mining magnate.  Lady Phillips was painted by artists such as Boldini (1842-1931) and Sir William Nicholson (1872-1949).  She persuaded the British art dealer and collector, Sir Hugh Lane (1875-1915) to acquire Dutch art that could later form the nucleus of the collection.  In 1914 Lady Phillips persuaded Sir Max Michaelis (1851-1932), another mining magnate, to buy Lane’s collection and donate it.  The building was restored by the architect, J.M. Solomon (18856-2020).