2126

George Granville Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 5th Duke of Sutherland 1920

Half-length to the left, full face, looking to the right, his arms folded across his chest, wearing naval uniform with service medals

Oil on canvas, 175.3 x 145.5 cm (69 x 57 ¼ in.)

Inscribed lower right: de László 1920 

Sitters’ Book II, opp. f. 14: Sutherland - 2nd March / 1920 .

Dunrobin Castle Collection, Scotland

The Duke returned from France in early 1920 and wrote to the artist 4 February to arrange convenient dates for him to attend the studio. He wears the uniform as a Commander in the Royal Naval Reserve, with whom he served during the First World War. In 1914 he served on the British Military Mission to Belgium and from 1915 to 1917 commanded the Motor Flotilla sailing between Egypt and the Adriatic on anti-submarine missions.

De László painted a study portrait of the sitter in 1914 wearing army service dress [3298] and in 1930 a formal portrait wearing the Robes of a Knight of the Thistle [7324]. He also painted a three-quarter length portrait of the Duke’s wife on the occasion of their marriage in 1913 [7326].

For biographical notes on the sitter, see [3298].

PROVENANCE:

By descent in the family

EXHIBITED:

•The French Gallery, London, A Series of Portraits and Studies by Philip A. de László, M.V.O., June 1923, no. 33

LITERATURE:

•DLA094-0083, press cutting from The Daily Sketch, undated (1923)

•DLA048-0019, letter 5th Duke of Sutherland to de László, 4 February 1920

KF 2016