12791

Alice Emily Flaxman, Nanny to John and Patrick de Laszlo 1916

Head and shoulders slightly to the left, full face to the viewer, looking beyond to the right, wearing a white blouse with a brown neck scarf, tied in a bow

Oil on board, 40.7 x 50.8 cm (16 x 20 in.)

Inscribed lower right: from Johny [sic] Father / P. A. de László  / 1916. 14 June

Private Collection

Alice Emily Flaxman was nanny to the artist’s two youngest children, Patrick and John, when they lived at Palace Gate, London, and Frensham in Surrey. She was engaged by the family when John, born in October 1912, was aged about four weeks. When she was due to leave the de Lászlós’ service some four years later, the artist asked to paint her as a mark of appreciation. She arrived at the studio wearing her best frock, only to be told he wanted her in her uniform, so that she had to go back and change. She was presented with the portrait.

Alice Flaxman was born on 16 February 1886 in Upton cum Chalvey, Buckinghamshire, the daughter of Jesse and Sarah Flaxman. She was educated at a Church of England school there. She left aged fourteen to go into domestic service where she found she was good with children. Her interests and talents included needlework, supporting her local church, gardening, doing crosswords and making up stories for her young charges. Once, after preparing to take John de Laszlo for a pram ride in the park, she went back to his room, but could not find him. Panic set in, until the cook came puffing up the stairs holding the baby, who had been put in the dumb-waiter and sent down to the kitchen by his older siblings. Nanny Flaxman retired from full-time work aged forty-eight in 1934 due to health reasons. She enjoyed a long retirement and died in July 1981 aged ninety-five at Farnham Royal, Buckinghamshire.  

CC 2008