5263

Landscape

A View of the Great Lake at Welbeck Abbey, Home of the Duke of Portland

A park with trees and balustrades leading down to a lake surrounded by woodland

Oil on board, 38.1 x 30.5 cm (15 x 12 in.)

Studio Inventory, p. 112 (661): The Lake, Welbeck Abbey

Private Collection

Welbeck Abbey, Worksop, was the seat of the Portland family. The 6th Duke [4442] was one of de László’s greatest patrons in Britain, to the extent that he created a dedicated ‘László room’ for the artist’s work at Welbeck. Between 1911 and 1937, the artist painted almost twenty portraits of the 6th Duke’s family.

De László was a frequent guest at Welbeck, and made four oil sketches of the grounds, see also [6839] [13233] [112653]. In the present picture the artist painted the Great Lake (designed c. 1748) from the south-east corner of the Abbey. His viewpoint being high, it is likely that he painted the view at the end of the East Front, on the terrace to the east of the loggia [6839]. The parapets with vases in mid-view are those of Sir Ernest George’s dam (c. 1902) containing Shrubbery Lake, which forms the head of the Great Lake. The low wall in the foreground, which is still in existence, encloses the Oxford Wing garden that runs parallel to the South Front of the Abbey.

PROVENANCE:
In the possession of the artist on his death

With our grateful thanks to Derek Adlam, Portland Collection Curator, for his architectural notes

CC 2008