6859

Jane Bendir 1930

Seated full-length in a Louis XV style armchair, wearing a short-sleeved green chiffon party dress, a necklace with green pendant, a gold bracelet on her right wrist and holding a doll in her left arm, with two others on the ground at her feet

Oil on canvas, 147.5 x 95 cm (58 x 37 ½ in.)

Inscribed lower left: de Laszlo / 1930 VI 

Laib L16462 (764) / C2(32A)  

NPG Album 1929-31, p. 41

Sitters’ Book II, f. 65: JANE [in another hand: (Bendir) April 24, 1930.]

Private Collection

Throughout his career, de László was in high demand as a portraitist of childhood and he enjoyed painting “its innocent beauty, its miniature perfection, its delicacy of colouring.”^[1] His fluency and speed made him particularly adept at capturing the fleeting expressions and attitudes of his young sitters. One of his most successful early portraits in this genre is that of Erzsébet & Stefanie Mailáth [13008], painted in 1896, and shown seated together on a sofa with a doll at their feet. Others using a doll as a prop include: Gertrude Laughlin [11153], Lady Elizabeth Percy [6845] and Janet Buckley [9811].

This portrait was commissioned by the sitter’s father Arthur Bendir and de László invited them to his studio on 20 March 1930 for a first meeting, which the artist found essential for a successful portrait.^[2] The first sitting took place on 26 March when de László made some initial sketches to determine the composition.^[3] An unfinished oil on canvas [112598], which remained in the artist’s studio until his death, shows he originally conceived of his sitter turned to the right and this was rejected in preference for the dynamic pose seen in the present portrait.

The portrait was completed and paid for by Bendir by 24 July 1930, when he wrote to the artist thanking him and enclosing a cheque for £1050.^[4] Earlier correspondence in the artist’s archive shows this was a reduction from the original quote sent to Bendir by the artist’s secretary: “In order to avoid any misunderstanding, Mr. de Laszlo wishes me to let you know that he had decided on a full length portrait for your little daughter as it will more vividly portray her charming personality. Mr. de Laszlo’s honorarium for a portrait of that size is £2000, but as your little daughter is such an interesting subject from his point of view, he is prepared to make the honorarium £1500.”^[5] Bendir replied on 5 April that the maximum he could afford was 1000 guineas and the artist agreed to this, indicating he must have been anxious to paint the little girl.^[6]

De László later wrote to Bendir: “I wish to thank you for your very appreciative letter. I am so glad to know that the portrait I painted of your charming little Jane gives you pleasure and satisfaction, and that you like the photographs. I must reiterate that the hours which I spent painting your beautiful daughter were an unusual pleasure to me, and she was a constant inspiration. I much hope that, when I hold my next Exhibition in London, you will be good enough to allow me to include in it my portrait of Jane.”^[7] The portrait was included in his retrospective exhibition at the Wildenstein Gallery in 1937, indicating he thought it amongst his best works.

The frame was supplied by Emil Remy on New Kings Road, London, one of the artist’s favoured suppliers. The portrait was photographed by Paul Laib [5994].

Janine ‘Jane’ Bendir was born in London on 29 January 1924, the daughter of  Arthur Bendir (1872–1957) and his wife Marguerite Louise Erskine (1881–1954). Bendir  founded the bookmakers Ladbrokes, still in operation today. They lived at 43 Berkeley Square, London. After her marriage in April 1948 to John Franklin Reed (1908–1992) they emigrated to California, where she lived until her death on 18 February 2021, aged ninety-seven, She was among de László’s last surviving sitters alongside Queen Elizabeth II (2022) and Prince Michael of Romania (2017).  

PROVENANCE:

Sold at Sotheby’s London, 7 November 1973, lot 45;

Private Collection;

Offered Subastas Serge, Madrid, 25 March 2025

EXHIBITED:

•Wildenstein’s, London, Exhibition of Paintings by Philip A. de László, M.V.O., 24 November-22 December 1937, no. 32

LITERATURE:

•DLA058-0061, letter from de László to Arthur Bendir, 18 March 1930

•DLA058-0059, letter from de László to Arthur Bendir, 22 March 1930

•DLA058-0057, letter from de László to Arthur Bendir, 3 April 1930

•DLA058-0056, letter from Arthur Bendir to de László, 5 April 1930

•DLA058-0054, letter from de László to Arthur Bendir, 30 July 1930

•DLA058-0055, letter from Arthur Bendir to de László, 24 July 1930

KF 2025