7820

Portrait drawing

Princess Elisabeta of Romania, formerly Queen of the Hellenes, consort of George II of Greece 1924 

Head only, in profile to the left, wearing drop earrings

Charcoal and terracotta chalk, heightened with white on cream paper, 47 x 29.5 cm (18 ½ x 11 ½ in.)

Inscribed lower right: de László / Paris 1924 [pencil]  

Sitters’ Book II, opp. f. 42: Elisabeta / 23 Sept 1924 / Paris / [in the artist’s hand: Queen of Greece]

Private Collection

During his stay in Paris in September 1924, de László painted two further portraits of the sitter. A study portrait [7823], remained in the possession of the artist on his death while a formal half-length [3273] remains untraced. The artist regularly produced portrait drawings unbeknownst to the sitter and presented them as a souvenir of the time they spent together during the sittings for the commissioned portrait.

De László painted Elisabeta again in London in 1925 [3270], a portrait that the artist refused to part with until his death.

For biographical notes on the sitter, see [3270].

SMdeL 2013