3583

Sculpture

Alfred Lys Baldry 1933

Head only

Bronze, 35 cm (13 ¾ in.) [height excluding stand]

Indistinctly inscribed on the sitter’s collar below his right ear: de László 1933 

Private Collection

It is not clear when de László started the present work, although a letter from Baldry dated 5 October 1933^[1] reveals that de László was working on the bust at the time, and another dated 31 October, that it had been completed.^[2] The present bust is also associated with the preparation of their book Painting a Portrait,^[3] in which it was reproduced. It is possible that the sculpture was created as an example to cast light on de László’s methods of work as a painter: “In this head, the third only that he has done in his life,^[4] the artist has treated the material exactly as though he were painting, with the same regard to architectural formation, character and expression.”^[5] 

It appears from the artist’s correspondence that he made the original sculpture using plasticine, and that it was then cast in bronze by Fiorini, “with a very pale green patina and a little gold.”^[6] It was the clay model, photographed by Paul Laib, which was reproduced in the publication.

For biographical notes on the sitter, see [3562].

PROVENANCE:  

In the possession of the artist on his death

EXHIBITED:

•Wildenstein & Co., Ltd., London, Exhibition of Paintings by Philip A. de László, M.V.O., In Aid of the London Hospital and The Artists’ General Benevolent Institution, 24 November-22 December 1937, ex-catalogue

•Christie’s, King Street, London, A Brush with Grandeur, 6-22 January 2004, nº 82

LITERATURE:

•Holme, C.G. ed., Painting a Portrait by de László, in How To Do It Series, no. 6, Introduction by A.L. Baldry, The Studio, 1934, ill p. 9

•De Laszlo, Sandra, ed., & Christopher Wentworth-Stanley, asst. ed., A Brush with Grandeur, Paul Holberton publishing, London 2004, p. 148, ill.        

•Hart-Davis, Duff, in collaboration with Caroline Corbeau-Parsons, De László: His Life and Art, Yale University Press, 2010, ill. 128

•László, Philip de, 1933-1934 diary, private collection, 7 November entry, p. 8; 16 November entry, p. 17; 3 December entry, p. 31; 15 April 1934 entry, p. 153

•DLA020-0279, letter from Robert Morley to de László, 19 September 1933

•DLA020-0278, letter from de László to Robert Morley, 25 September 1933

•DLA020-0028, letter from Baldry to de László, 5 October 1933

•DLA020-0027, letter from Baldry to de László, 31 October 1933

•DLA020-0026, letter from de László to Baldry, 9 November 1933

•DLA020-0025, letter from de László to Baldry, 15 November 1933

CC  2008