9143

Lady Lowther, née Alice Blight 1921 

Three quarter-length to the left, head turned in three-quarter profile over her left shoulder and looking to the viewer, wearing a tiara and a stole round her shoulders worn over a black dress, arms crossed with her right hand visible

Oil on canvas, 115.6 x 83.8 cm (45 x 33 in.)

Inscribed lower right: László / 1921 IX

Laib L10445 (364) / C16(4): Lady Lowther

Sitters’ Book II, f. 27: Alice Lowther September 26th 1921

Private Collection

De László painted the sitter’s husband Sir Gerard Lowther just before his death in 1915 [13370]. The start of the First World War and de László’s internment delayed the completion of this pendant portrait until 1921. At the request of Lady Lowther, the artist found time to paint a study portrait of the sitter’s sister Mrs William Payne Thompson, in 1916 [1855], during her visit to London from America. De László also painted Lady Lowther’s brother-in-law, the Honourable James Lowther, twice in 1908 [10209] [12462].

Lady Lowther wrote to the artist 14 September 1921: “Could you see me on Monday at 11.30 and we could decide what colour scheme you would like? I thought of a very dark background and a strip of black velvet & my turkish order - I should like diamonds in my hair & will show you both ways of “doing it up” - to see which you prefer - as it is the pendant to Sir Gerard’s I wish to be en Grande Toilette - I am greatly looking forward to the privilege of sitting to you.”^[1] Before the sittings she remarked that, “I fear the sad & heavy years since we have not met have made a far from rejuvenating[?] impress on my face - but that cannot be helped.”^[2] She also joked that she would need to sell some of her jewels to pay for the portrait. The foliate scroll work tiara she wears is by Chaumet but she did not part with it to pay de László’s honorarium of £315, the equivalent of nearly £10,000 in 2020.^[3]  

Soon after the completion of the portrait Lady Lowther wrote to de László from Cannes: “I and my friends are anxious to see the echo of your picture of me - as M. Paul Laib [5994] has reproduced it! Have you my picture framed yet? And the photograph of it, is it yet taken? My sister is very anxious to see it - and the Duchesse de Doudeauville exclaimed: Ah! Voila un grand artiste! When I told her you had just finished my portrait - She added that you had painted many of her cousins (she was a Radziwill of course).^[4] Forgive my impatience - but 4 moderate & 8 small photographs of my portrait would delight me - if you could send them out to me by M. Paul Laib - pray do - How I miss my delightful sittings when we talked of all things under the sun - almost!^[5]

Alice Blight was born 7 March 1873 in Paris, the daughter of Atherton Blight (1834-1909) of Philadelphia, an attorney, and his wife Nina Greenough (1847-1897), daughter of sculptor Richard Greenough of Boston. The New York Times described her as, “a statuesque looking girl, tall and handsome, with superb figure, and of a blonde type.”^[6] She lived in New York and Newport, and often visited Philadelphia where she had many relatives and friends. In Newport she met Sir Gerard Augustus Lowther (1858-1916), son of the Honourable William Lowther and Charlotte Alice Parke, while he was serving as First Secretary at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. On 28 February 1905 they married in London. In June 1907 she was presented at Court by the Countess of Crewe.^[7] There were three daughters of the marriage: Edith Alice (born 1906) who in 1945 married Roger de Vilmorin, illegitimate son of King Alfonso XIII of Spain; Gladys Mabel (born 1908) and Violet Eleanor (born 1910), who died when only a year old.

During her husband’s posting as Ambassador to Constantinople 1908-13, Lady Lowther founded the Turkish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. During the Balkan Wars she was Chairman of ‘Lady Lowther’s War Relief Fund in Constantinople’ which assisted over 25,000 refugees from Thrace; and in London during the First World War she chaired the Fund for the Relief of Belgian Prisoners in Germany. For her work she was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of Shefakat and the Médaille de la Reine Elisabeth. She published two books, Land of the Gold Mohur (1932) and Moments in Portugal, or Land of the Laurel (1939).

After her husband’s death in 1916, Lady Lowther continued to live at 44 Belgrave Square, London. In later years her sister, Mrs William Payne Thompson, lived nearby at number 20. Lady Lowther died in Bournemouth 20 November 1939.

LITERATURE:

•DLA075-0042, letter from Lady Lowther to de László, 1 September 1921

•DLA075-0043, letter from Lady Lowther to de László, 14 September 1921

•DLA075-0045, letter from Lady Lowther to de László, 20 October 1921

•DLA075-0044, letter from Lady Lowther to de László’s secretary, 1 November 1921

•László, Philip de, January-June 1935 diary, private collection, 20 April entry, p. 94

KF & MD 2020