112109

REJECTED PORTRAIT

DESTROYED

Elisabeth, Queen of Hungary and Empress of Austria 1901

Standing full-length, turned slightly to the left, looking to the right, wearing a white dress with a black and white bodice, a veil, a tiara and a necklace, her gloved hands holding a fan

Oil on canvas, 203.2 x 160 cm (80 x 63 in.)

Studio Inventory p. 85 (462): The Empress Elizabeth of Austria. This canvas was brought from Vienna and was stored, rolled; re-stretched after the artist’s death for safe keeping.

Given the very large dimensions of the present work, it is likely that it was de László’s first attempt at painting a posthumous full-length portrait of Empress Elisabeth in traditional Hungarian dress [110806]. When he moved to Vienna in 1903, and then to England in 1907, he brought this canvas with him. By the time of his death in 1937, it was still in his studio, and one can infer that it had some value, if only sentimental, to him.

The present portrait is only known from the poor quality thumbnail photograph of de László’s studio inventory, it seems the work was close to completion. It was not unusual for the artist to start the portrait again, even at such an advanced stage, if he was not satisfied. He often kept these rejected portraits and study portraits as mementos of favourite sitters and they remained in his studio until his death. The finished portrait  presents a much more flattering and graceful image of the late Empress which may indicate the reasons for the present picture’s rejection.

The present painting was destroyed on 17 November 1947 at the Fulham Council incinerator by the executors of the artist’s will, in accordance with his instructions that no portrait unworthy of his reputation should survive. The artist did not make the selection himself, and in total, almost 330 works were destroyed.

For biographical notes on the sitter, see [7857].

AG 2011