12640

Countess Anastasia de Torby 1913

Half-length to the right, full face and looking to the viewer, wearing a pale décolleté organza dress, a blue ribbon tied with a bow in her hair and holding a basket of flowers before her

Oil on canvas, 73 x 57.8 cm (28 ¾ x 22 ¾ in.)

Sitters’ Book I, opp. f. 92: Zia de Torby^[1]  Nov 22nd / /12

Private Collection

This portrait was painted during sittings for a three-quarter length formal portrait of Countess Anastasia [12637] commissioned by her father Grand Duke Michael of Russia (1861-1929). It is unclear if it is a preparatory oil study for that picture or a rejected work. The size of canvas is larger than was characteristically used by de László and the highly finished painting of the face suggests the latter. A large amount of canvas has been folded round the stretcher indicating it has been cut down and supports the thought that it was rejected and remained in the artist’s studio.

In 1917 Countess Anastasia married Captain Harold Wernher and de László may have altered the size of the portrait and presented it as a wedding gift to the couple. At that time the artist was commissioned to paint the present sitter as a surprise wedding present for her new husband [1954].

Countess Alice Wernher, the sitter’s mother-in-law, was herself painted by de László on three occasions [6784][6780][113279], as was the sitter’s sister Countess Nada de Torby, Marchioness of Milford Haven [3491].

For biographical notes on the sitter, see [12637].

PROVENANCE:

Sir Harold Wernher, husband of the sitter;

By descent in the family

EXHIBITED:

Kenwood House, London, Pushkin and the Kenwood Connection, 30 April–11 July 1999

KF 2022