11189

Philip Alexius de László 1925

Bust-length in three-quarter profile to the right, wearing a dark jacket over a white shirt

Oil on canvas, 73.7 x 56.5 cm (29 x 22 ¼ in.)

Inscribed lower left: de László / 1925 

Laib L14714(812) / C18(7A) Philip de Laszlo Self-Portrait

NPG 1925-27 Album, p. 4b

Private Collection

The 6th Duke of Portland [4442] was one of de László's most important British patrons and the artist painted some twenty portraits of the Cavendish-Bentinck family between 1911 and 1937. He was a regular guest at the family seat, Welbeck Abbey in Nottinghamshire, and the Duke created a “László Room” where he hung many of the portraits, including the present picture.

De László presented this self-portrait as a gift to his patron and the Duke recorded in his memoirs: "De László has always been very kind to us and I much value his friendship. ... In order to make it complete [the László room] he painted a very excellent picture of himself, which he gave to me, and for which I am most grateful. It now hangs there, crowning his other works."^[1]

A study in oil for this portrait shows the artist holding a palette and brushes. It remained in his studio until his death [5668].

PROVENANCE:          

Given by the artist to the 6th Duke of Portland;

Lady Anne Cavendish-Bentinck;

Given to John de Laszlo, fifth son of the artist and godson of the 6th Duke

EXHIBITED:  

•Museum Van Loon Amsterdam, De László in Holland, Dutch Masterpieces by Philip Alexius de László (1869-1937), 3 March – 5 June 2006 

•The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle,  A Platinum Jubilee Celebration, 8 May - 5 June 2022

LITERATURE:        

•DLA loose material, Boston Evening Transcript, 24 October 1925, p. 1, ill.

•DLA 1927 parcel, Tolnai Vilaglapja, 4 May 1927, ill.

•DLA 1933 parcel, Hungarian publication, 1933, p. 12, ill.

•Pesti Hírlap, Budapest, 1933, pp. 12-14 László Siklóssy: László Fülöp, ill.

•ILN, 24 November, 1934, p. 829, ill.

•Goulding, Richard W. The Catalogue of Pictures. The Duke of Portland. Prepared by C. K. Adams, Cambridge University Press, 1936 (Private printing of 150 copies) no. 928

•Portland, William Cavendish-Bentinck, 6th Duke of, Men, Women and Things, Memories of the Duke of Portland, K.G., G.C.V.O., London, l937, p. 222, ill. between pp. 224-225

•The Evening News, Monday 16 January 1928, p. 6, ill.

•The Bazaar, Saturday 5 April 1930, p. 3, ill.

•A.B.C. Domingo, 17 September 1933, ill.

•Grever, Tonko; Heuft, Annemieke, De László in Holland, Dutch Masterpieces by Philip de László (1869-1937), Museum Van Loon Amsterdam, 2006, p. 13, ill.

•Field, Katherine, Philip Alexius de László; 150th Anniversary Exhibition, de Laszlo Archive Trust, 2019, back cover

KF 2022