DLA019-0270 Transcription

4, GRAFTON STREET,

BOND STREET,

W.1.

2nd December, 1932.

Dear Mr. de Laszlo,

I am enclosing a poster of a Dinner that is being held in aid of the Charing Cross Hospital, and am writing on behalf of Lord Lonsdale^[1] to ask if you would honour him by going to the Dinner as his guest.

It would be wonderful if the Chairman could put up for auction during the evening a small canvas by you [10040], and would be of the very geatest [sic] help to the charity.^[2]

Trusting that you will be able to come,

Yours sincerely,

Edward J. Duveen

SMDL

22/07/2018

[1] Hugh Cecil Lowther, 5th Earl of Lonsdale (1857–1944)

[2] De László accepted Lord Lonsdale’s invitation, agreeing to offer a canvas for a head and shoulder portrait, see DLA019-0269, letter from de László to Edward J. Duveen, 6 December 1932. The successful bidder at 300 guineas was Frank William Thring (see DLA137-0013, Daily Herald, 15 December 1932, p. 9), who commissioned de László to paint a portrait of his wife Olive, née Kreitmeyer, on the blank canvas [10040].