DLA015-0065 Transcription

LION MANSION HOTEL,

BRIGHTON.

July 8 [1924]

dear Mr de Laszlo-

I was writing to the Queen^[1] today and told her Majesty how much I wished she would be painted by you! The Queen would then see what a difference there is in

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your portrait, & the one of the King, in the Academy.^[2]

I hope this will come off!

Cordially yours

Victor Bowring-Hanbury

SMDL

08/12/2017

[1] Queen Mary of Great Britain, née Princess Victoria Mary of Teck (1867-1953)

[2] Bowring-Hanbury is likely referring to the controversy surrounding Charles Sims’ (1873-1928) portrait of King George V (1865-1936), which was exhibited at the Royal Academy’s summer exhibition of 1924. The portrait attracted a great deal of public attention, much of it critical, focusing on the florid handling of the monarch’s features and drapery. The King was dissatisfied with the picture, resulting in its later destruction.