6272

Lady Marks of Broughton, née Miriam Sieff 1934

Seated half-length to the right, wearing a patterned stole over a deep red evening dress; a pink flower pinned to the stole

Oil on canvas, 90.2 x 59.7 cm (35 ½ x 23 ½ in.)

Inscribed lower right: de László / 1934 

Laib L18545 (452) / C16 (14): Mrs. Marks

NPG Album 1935, p. 11

Sitters’ Book II, f. 77: Miriam Marks May 12th 1934.

Private Collection

On 13 December 1933, de László received a telegram at the Plaza, New York, informing him that the blank canvas he had offered at auction to benefit the Cheyne Hospital^[1] had been purchased by Simon Marks. It had fetched 400 guineas.^[2] It was indeed common practice at the time for portrait painters to offer to paint a portrait of or for the highest bidder at an auction to raise money for charity. De László was particularly generous in this respect, repeatedly offering blank canvases during the First World War in aid of the Red Cross and to other good causes throughout his career.

De László was especially busy in America when he heard that Mr Marks wanted to claim his prize. The artist was not due to come back to London for another three months, as he explained in a letter to Mrs Marks: “I have been here for several weeks painting some portraits which I have had arranged for a long time. I shall be here for another ten days, when I have to leave for Philadelphia, and on the third of March, I sail on the REX for Gibraltar to meet Mrs de László, and from there we go further to Morocco to take a two weeks’ rest before returning home, which will be at the end of March. As soon as I arrive, I will communicate with you and arrange the sittings. I do hope that the beginning of April will be convenient to you.”^[3]

Mrs Marks herself was away when de László returned to London, and they did not meet before 1 May 1934 to discuss the portrait. The first three sittings for the portrait took place on 10, 11 and 12 May and resumed late in June on account of the artist’s further travels. The portrait was completed after a further three sittings on 26, 27 and 28 June.^[4] The sitter presented the artist with a “beautiful golden cigarette case” as a token of appreciation,^[5] which the artist exchanged for two “golden armwatches” for the daughters of his niece Elsa, and two pairs of “golden links” for the sons of another niece, Ilonka.^[6]

Mrs Marks wrote to de László to tell her how pleased she and her husband were with the finished portrait, adding that she felt she “must write and thank [him] for painting it on behalf of [herself] and for [his] generosity to the Cheyne Hospital.”^[7] De László’s reply was equally appreciative: “I feel myself that I was very successful in depicting your personality. If I was able to do the Cheyne Hospital a good turn, I was amply rewarded in that it brought me such a charming sitter, and gave me the opportunity to make your acquaintance.”^[8]

Miriam Sieff was born in 1894, the daughter of Ephram Sieff and Sarah Saffer, and the sister of Israel Sieff. She grew up in Manchester, where, on 27 July 1915 at the Midland Hotel, she married Simon Marks, later 1st Baron Marks of Broughton (1888-1964). Over the years, her husband built up the shopping empire now known as Marks and Spencer. His father, Michael Marks, was the first of the family to come to England from Poland. Lord and Lady Marks had two children, Hannah Olive (born 1918). And Michael (born 1920), who later succeeded his father.

After the First World War, Lord and Lady Marks moved to Hampstead, and later, around 1938, to Cleeve Lodge, Hyde Park Gate. During the Second World War, the sitter worked as a volunteer for the British Red Cross. She was also a member of the fundraising committee for the Royal Opera House. She was particularly involved with the Women’s International Zionist Organisation in its early days. Lady Marks was a great hostess, organising magnificent dinners for her husband, often for very large numbers. She notably paid great attention to the way in which the dining room table was laid, always in the best of taste. Throughout her life, she enjoyed acquiring fine furniture and impressionist paintings, eventually comprising a magnificent collection.

She is remembered by one of her descendants as a generous lady, “who did not suffer fools gladly.” She enjoyed her position in Society, but lived for and through her husband. After his death in 1964, her spirit and health declined considerably, and she died in London in 1971.

LITERATURE:

•László, Philip de, 1933 diary, private collection, p. 1 [pasted press cutting, Daily Mail, 15 December 1933, about the auction at which Simon Marks bought de László’s blank canvas for 500 guineas]; 11 November 1933 entry, p. 12; 13 November entry; 24 November entry, p. 23 [press cutting, The Times, 24 November 1933, announcing that  the artist will give a blank canvas in aid of the Cheyne Hospital for Children]; 25 November entry, p. 23 [press cutting, Daily Mail, 25 November 1933, about the Ball and auction in aid of the Cheyne Hospital for Children]; 2 December entry, p. 29 [press cutting, Daily Mail, London 25 November 1933, about the ball in aid of the Cheyne Hospital for Children]; 28 December entry, p. 57, [press cuttings about the auction in aid of the Cheyne Hospital for Children, The Times, 8 December 1933; and The Daily Telegraph, 14 December 1933]

•László, Philip de, 1934 diary, private collection, 1 May entry, p. 14; 10 May entry, p. 20; 11 May entry, p. 22; 12 May entry, p. 22; 26 June entry, p. 81; 27 June entry, p. 82; 28 June entry, p. 82; 29 July entry, p. 116; 7 August entry, p. 127

•DLA076-0158, telegram from Patrick de László to his father, 13 December 1933

•DLA076-0159, letter from de László to Mrs Marks, 5 February 1934

•DLA076-0156, letter from Mrs Marks to de László, 17 July 1934

•DLA076-0155, letter from de László to Mrs Marks, 19 July 1934

CC & MD 2011