11202

Andrew William Mellon 1932

Half-length slightly to the left, looking full face to the viewer, wearing the red robes of a Doctor of Law over a dark suit and blue tie, his right hand on his cap.

Oil on canvas, 89.5 x 69.2 cm (35 ¼ x 27 ¼ in.)

Inscribed lower right: de László / 1932 I / W.

Sitters’ Book II, opp. f. 71: A.W. Mellon Jany 3’ 1932

Sitters’ Book II, f. 71: A. W. Mellon Jan’y 18 1932 / the artist and his subject will disappear; / The portrait remains-

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

De László painted Andrew Mellon for the first time in 1926 [6418], and although he mentioned his intention of a second commission to the artist as early as 1928, see [6417], it was not until they met again in Washington in December 1931 that Mellon asked de László to paint this picture.

On 31 December 1931, de László recorded in his diary: “received mr. A. Mellon who asked me to paint his portrait in the gown of Harvard^[1] to which I very much look forward – a fine head.”^[2] Sittings started on 2 January 1932, when de László painted a study-portrait of the sitter [6423]. It was then that the sitter asked him to paint an additional picture, three-quarter length, for the U.S. Treasury [6417].  

Despite similarities between the study-portrait and the U.S. Treasury picture, the former in profile to the left, the latter in three-quarter profile to the left, de László started with the present portrait, which was completed in three consecutive days. On 3 January, he noted in his diary: “from 10 till 12 30. painted Mellon – his intelligent Sec:[retary] finley came too got on very well.”^[3] “Got on well” was a phrase de László regularly used to indicate that the portrait was progressing to his satisfaction, and not that he got on well with the sitter, or, in this instance, Mr. Finley. On the 4th, the artist recorded: “During the morning finished mrs Hoover[’]s portrait sketch [5789] – she thanked warmly, a good head – […] Then mrs Crocker for one hour [2577] – luncheon at the Club - & then – came Mellon – his pic will be fine,”^[4] and finally, on 5th, “1.30 Mr Mellon for his final - portrait with red gown his last – portrait I painted since in the States – very fine he & finley love it too. It is different from all the portraits he has in his home! Finished it – every minute was important.”^[5] 

Given the degree of finish of this portrait, de László’s final comment is not casual. He was remarkably quick, but even by his standards, completing such a large work in so little time was worthy of note. The fact that he had already painted Mellon, combined with his deep admiration for him may have played a part in this achievement.

For biographical details on the sitter, see [6418].

PROVENANCE:

Presented to the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation by the Ailsa Mellon Bruce Estate

LITERATURE:

•Rutter, Owen, Portrait of a Painter, London, 1939, pp. 258 & 360

•László, Philip de, 1931 diary, private collection

•László, Philip de, 1932 appointment book, private collection

MD & CC 2010