2542

Still Life

Self-portrait seen in a Mirror with a Bowl of Pink Chrysanthemums and a Doll 

Dressed in Period Costume 1935

Part of the artist’s face and shoulder are reflected in a mirror as he paints an arrangement of pink chrysanthemums set on a silver tray, a doll in 18th century costume, her hair dressed with pearls, stands to the right of the flowers

Oil on board, 61 x 48.5 cm (24 x 19 ¼ in.)

Inscribed lower right: 1935. / de László   

Private Collection

Despite its relatively small size, this is perhaps the most ambitious of the artist’s still life paintings. His reflection in the mirror, with his right hand raised, draws us into the picture. His concentration is evident in depicting the chrysanthemums arranged in the glass bowl and set against the contrasting textures of the dress of the doll.

De László had painted this stylized figurine once before when he was still under house arrest at Littleworth Corner in January 1919 [13183]. He depicted his wife Lucy leaning on a closed piano with the doll standing on the polished top. He had used reflections in mirrors in several of his personal paintings of that period, most notably, perhaps, that of Lucy [11621], painted in 1918.

He describes his painting of the present still life in far more prosaic terms in his 1935 diary: “27. Friday – Miss Partington set [sic] during the morning – afternoon is a change – started painting some autumn flowers from our garden – against a mirror – with the Doll^[1] – given by the German Empress to Lucy – ^[2].”

This picture unusually does not feature in the artist’s Studio Inventory, which was compiled by his executors after his death. It is possible that by that date it had already been given to one of his sons, the eldest being some 36 years old by then.

LITERATURE:  

•László, Philip de, 1935 diary, private collection

SMdeL & SdeL 2013