111359

Preparatory work for the genre painting Falling Leaves

An Elderly Soldier 1895

Seated full-length in three-quarter profile to the left, wearing a navy blue and red jacket with navy blue trousers, and a military greatcoat, holding a stick and cap in his right hand

Oil on canvas, 54.5 x 31.5 cm (21 ½ x 12 ⅜ in.)

Indistinctly inscribed lower right: László F. / 95

This is one of five known preparatory works for de László’s painting Falling Leaves (1895), which, inspired by a poem by János Arany, depicts an old soldier seated on a park bench at a table in a very similar pose.

For a full description of Falling Leaves, see [10672].

PROVENANCE:  

Sold at auction at Yves Siebers Auktionhaus, 30 March 2007, lot 926;

Unsold at auction at Kieselbach Gallery and Auction House, 14 December 2007, lot 141

BS 2013