DLA123-0152 Transcription

5 rue du Mont Valérien

St. Cloud

[I?] & O.

July 28th 1924.

Dear Mr. László,

The King of Greece^[1] was dining with us the other night, before going to London to claridges – He remains there 3 weeks & the Queen^[2] is joining him

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later on, coming from La Bourboule,^[3] where she is doing a cure – He is most anxious for you to do a sketch of her beautiful head [7820] but as he has hardly any money, he would be more grateful if you could make the value favourable

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terms you so kindly made for him in Athens April 1914.^[4] He is too shy to ask you himself so I offered to ask for him – The Queen’s head is so beautiful, I am sure you will enjoy sketching it very much – Alas. Her

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[in another hand] 97

figure is like a mountain unless the cure has fined it down considerably I am going to England for a few days in September but I will be return here Sept: 15 specially for you as you [illegible] me the compliment of offering to sketch me again^[5] & from [then?]

[On the margin of page 4]

[for?] I will be entirely at your disposal for as [many hours?] as you [were?] –

[Across the top of page 1]

I enjoyed your charming party so much – [Hoping?] Au revoir in Sept –

Sincerely yours

Alice

Editorial Note:

Princess Andrew of Greece and Denmark, née Princess Alice of Battenberg (1885-1969); for biographical notes, see [6615].

10/03/2020

[1] George II of Greece, King of the Hellenes (1890-1947) [7811]

[2] Elisabeta of Greece, Queen of the Hellenes, née Princess Elisabeta of Romania (1894-1956) [3270]

[3] Spa town in the Auvergne, France

[4] In 1914, King Constantine I of Greece (1868-1923) [11591], through his brother Prince Andrew of Greece (1882-1944) [6622], invited de László to Athens to paint members of the Greek Royal family. The following pictures were painted during this stay: two portraits of the Dowager Queen Olga in mourning [7794][11592]; a formal three-quarter length portrait of King Constantine [11591] and two study portraits [7799] [7801]; a study portrait of the then Prince George [7811]; and one of Princess Cecilie [111496], daughter of Prince Andrew of Greece. In Paris in September 1924, de László executed a portrait drawing in charcoal and chalk of Elisabeta of Greece [7820], as well as a study portrait [7823], which remained in the possession of the artist on his death, and a formal half-length [3273]; this latter portrait remains untraced.

[5] In 1907, de László painted a seated three-quarter length portrait of Princess Alice [6615]; a preparatory drawing exists for this portrait [6617]. He painted the Princess again in 1922, when he made two study portraits [6619][6620]. There are no recorded portraits of the Princess from 1924.