6390

Study portrait

Mrs Charles E. F. McCann, née Helena Maud Woolworth 1936

Head and shoulders to the right, head turned and looking to the viewer, wearing a pearl necklace, and a stole just indicated

Oil on board, 67.3 x 58.4 cm (26.5 x 23 in.)

Inscribed lower right: de László / LONDON 1936 VI

Laib L11219T(289) / C16(26): Mrs. Charles McCann

NPG Album 1936-7, p. 18

Sitters’ Book II, f. 86: Helena W. McCann June 26th 1936

De László first painted Helena McCann in New York in 1933 [110594] and it was the beginning of a difficult relationship with the sitter’s husband Charles McCann. In spite of the delight of his wife and children, he decided the portrait did not do her justice and asked de László to alter it. In June 1936, the McCanns travelled to London and had the portrait shipped to the artist.

On 26 June Mrs McCann visited de László’s studio at 3 Fitzjohn’s Avenue to sit for a study portrait [6393], which she intended to give her husband as a gift. The artist was unsatisfied with his first composition, put it aside and began the present picture 29 June. It was completed in two sittings and his honorarium was £400.^[1] 

A few days later de László invited his sitter and her family to tea: “we had Mrs McCann her daughter Helene – which I painted 3 years ago in N.Y. [110597] – married to Mr Guest the great Polo player and Count & Countess Haugwitz Reventlow with his notorious wife the millionaire Hutton girl – niece to Mrs McCann – she poses – cold – dainty – pretty – hard experienced – not ex[c]iting – but she was very well dressed – we all liked better her newly a[c]quired husband – They all liked the just finished sketch portrait of Mrs McCann [6390].^[2]

The sitter subsequently sent a token of her appreciation to the artist: “to our surprise – a lovely gold saffiered [sic, i.e. ‘mounted with sapphires’] lighter was sent to me from Cartier – by Mrs McCann & a few lovely lines of appreciation for the interest I took & painted such successful portrait sketch of her – (besides my Honorarium of 400 gs) – no English people would be so chivalrous!”^[3] He later exchanged the gift for four pairs of studs to give to his sons.

De László also painted the sitter’s husband in 1933 [111414] and daughters Constance [110596] and Helena [110597] in 1932.  

The portrait was later cut down and the shoulder repainted by another hand. The signature has been saved and attached to the lower left corner.  

For biographical notes on the sitter, see [110594].

LITERATURE:

•DLA118-0171, letter from Charles E. F. McCann to de László, 1 May 1936

•DLA076-0186, letter from de László to Charles E. F. McCann, 21 May 1936

•DLA076-0183, letter from de László’s secretary to Mrs Charles E. F. McCann, 2 July 1936

•László, Philip de, 1933-1934 diary, private collection

MD & KF 2021