111048

William Cooper Procter 1929

Half-length, in three-quarter profile to the right, wearing a three-piece suit, holding a pince-nez in his left hand.

Oil on canvas, 69.9 x 92.7 cm (27 ¼ x 36 ½ in.)

Inscribed lower left: de László 1929 / LONDON

Laib L15584 (511) / C22 (20)

Sitters’ Book II, opp. f. 63: Wm Cooper Procter / 9-11-29 U.S.A.

Cincinnati Children´s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio

De László also painted the sitter’s sister, Mrs. Paul Matthews (née Elsie Procter) [111978] and her husband Paul Matthews, Bishop of New Jersey [110465].

The sitter’s niece wrote to de László 31 August 1929, after his acceptance of the commission: “Someday I hope that portrait will belong to Cincinnati, so that future generations may know him. He is very much beloved and while of course his business ability & his generosity make him an outstanding person, it is his character and his idealism that make such an appeal. And it is because my aunt & I feel that you - no other artist could do it could portray that spiritual side that we are so overjoyed that you are going to paint him. Personally I have never been so happy over anything in my life and I want you to know how much we appreciate your giving up your vacation time to paint him now. It means a very great deal to us.”^[1]

De László and Procter seem to have become good friends during the sittings as there is film in the artist’s archive showing them with their respective wives visiting Eton College and walking in the grounds at Littleworth Corner [6677], Buckinghamshire. The artist and his family had first lived at Littleworth Corner, home of his lawyer Sir Charles Russell [6657], while preparing for his Naturalisation Revocation Committee hearing, December 1918-June 1919.

Cuthbert Minnigerode [111275], Director of the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., wrote to de László about the portrait’s arrival from London: “You will be interested to know that the portrait of Mr. Procter of Cincinnati arrived here safely and was exhibited continuously from the date of its arrival until a few days ago, when we packed and shipped it to Mr. Procter in Cincinnati. He called upon me in person, and I had a very nice interview with him. I at once recognized him from the striking likeness, and I concur with your view that it is one of your best portraits. It was sent to him in accordance with his wish, inasmuch as he wanted it in his home at Christmas.”^[2] The artist responded: “I am glad you think the one of Mr. Procter is one of my best portraits. I feel the same about it, although I must say I have in him a splendid sitter.”^[3] 

William Cooper Procter was born 25 August 1862, in Glendale, Ohio, the only son of William Alexander Procter (1834-1907) and his wife, Charlotte Elizabeth Jackson (1838-1903). His grandfather William Procter (1801-1884) was the co-founder of Procter & Gamble, a soap-making company. After graduating from Princeton in 1883 he joined the company at an entry position on the factory floor. This experience gave him insight into the working conditions of his employees and, on becoming President of the company in 1907, he made several progressive policy changes: mandatory half-day holiday on Saturdays, an employee-appointed representative to sit on the Company Board of Directors and the creation of a profit-sharing programme for employees, the first programme of its kind in America.

Procter served on the board of trustees for the Children’s Hospital in Cincinnati (now known as Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center). In 1921, he was elected president of the new board of trustees, a position he held until his death in 1934. He was also head of the Cincinnati Red Cross for over twenty years.

The sitter died on 2 May 1934 in Cincinnati.

PROVENANCE:

Presented to the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center by a descendant of the sitter, 1974

LITERATURE:

DLA081-0201, letter from Mary E. Johnston to de László, 31 August 1929  

DLA019-0038 letter from Cuthbert Minnigerode to de László, 24 December 1929

DLA019-0037, letter from de László to Cuthbert Minnigerode, 5 May 1930

KF 2017