10699 

RECTO

DESTROYED

Preparatory work

The Kupelwieser family

Five members of the Kupelwieser family, from the left: the elder daughter Ida standing behind her father  Dr. Carl Kupelwieser, who is seated at a small table together with two other members of the family, possibly his daughter Paula and wife Bertha with a large document spread before them, Hans leaning over the back of the chair on the right.

Oil on board, 49.5 x 77.5 cm (19 ½ x 30 ½ in.)

Sitters’ Book I, f. 56: Dr Carl Kupelwieser / Ida Kupelwieser

Studio Inventory, p. 30 (162): Group of Five people, Kuppelweiser [sic] Family. of Vienna. Painted in Vienna.

These sketches were made in preparation for the large group portrait of the Kupelwieser family [10429] and remained in the artist’s possession, together with two other group studies for the portrait, [5896] and [95].

A further preparatory study, with another arrangement of the figures, can be found on the verso of the portrait of Lord Louis Mountbatten, painted in 1925 [3512].

This sketch shows de László’s early thoughts for the composition of the group portrait [10429], commissioned in 1903 but not completed until 1907. A photograph of the artist’s studio in Vienna, probably taken late in 1903, shows part of the large canvas at an early stage. Ida’s head appears upper left in the painting, just as in the present picture.  

The verso of the work [112223] shows a study of Ida and Bertha Kupelwieser.

PROVENANCE:

In the possession of the artist on his death;

Destroyed in accordance with the artist’s will, 1947

AG 2014