6053

Major Henry Frederick Elliot Lewin 1915

Half-length to the right with his head turned slightly to the left, wearing a great-coat over his service dress, a military badge or crest top right

Oil on canvas, 90.2 x 59.8 cm (35 ½ x 23 ½ in.)

Inscribed lower left: P. A. de László. 1915. IX. 

Laib L7836(5) / C15(21)  Major Lewin

NPG 1915-16 Album, p. 55

Sitters’ Book I, f. 105: Harry Lewin 11. IX. 15.

Private Collection

The present portrait is a fine example of those that de László was commissioned to paint during the First World War of officers going to the front, whose families feared they might not return. Major Lewin survived the war but many of de László’s soldier sitters were not so fortunate. This portrait would have been painted in just a few hours and demonstrates the artist’s ability to rapidly achieve an excellent likeness and he was much sought after for this reason. According to the daughter of one wartime sitter the artist offered to paint portraits of often very young soldiers home on leave for fees as low as 50 guineas, compared to his normal pre-war rate of £400 for a similar size. In 1915 he painted thirty-eight such portraits, almost half his total uniformed wartime output.

Henry Frederick Elliott Lewin was born 26 December 1872, the eldest son of Commander W. H. Lewin, of the Royal Navy and his Irish wife Caroline. He began his army career in 1894, and was made a Captain in 1900. He served with the Egyptian army between 1901 and 1911. During the First World War he was made Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George and rose to the rank of Brigadier General in 1917. He was also made a Knight of the Légion d’Honneur. His final posting was to command the Royal Artillery, Northern Command, 1925-29.

On 26 February 1913 he married Lady Ada Edwina Stewart Roberts, (1875-1955), later O.B.E., the daughter of one of England’s most decorated generals, Field Marshal Earl Roberts (1832-1914), who was painted a number of times by de László [6928] & [6924]. She succeeded to her father's title after her elder sister's death in 1944, becoming Countess Roberts. Together they had one son, Frederick (Freddy) who served with the Irish Guards. He was killed in action in Norway in 1940.  

After his marriage into the Roberts family Lewin became a great friend of Rudyard Kipling, who had composed several poems in honour of his father-in-law. Their long correspondence lasted until Kipling’s death in 1936, exploring both military and literary subjects. The papers are now held at the Sussex University Library.

Brigadier General Lewin died in 1946. The present portrait was inherited by his son, together with the de László portrait of his grandfather Lord Roberts.

PROVENANCE: 

By descent in the family;

Bequeathed to Mr. Michael Borwick of Blair House, Ayrshire;

The Blair Sale; Lyon and Turnbull, Edinburgh, 14 March 2012, lot 87;

Nicholas Bagshawe Fine Art;

Private Collection

KF 2012