Timeline

Born in Budapest, Philip de László commenced his studies at the Hungarian National Academy of Arts and also studied at the Academie Julian in Paris. During this time he was patronised by many of the leading members of Austrian Society and became one of the most fashionable artists painting in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In 1900 he married Lucy Guinness from the renowned Irish brewing family and in 1907 he moved to London where received many commissions from British aristocracy including a commission from Queen Victoria.

In 1908 de László visited the United States to paint Theodore Roosevelt, this trip provided him with a wealth of potential sitters and he painted a number of portraits of distinguished Americans. Briefly imprisoned on suspicion of spying during the First World War he continued throughout his life to paint portraits of some of the most famous and influential figures of the early twentieth century including Benvenuto Mussolini, Arthur Balfour, Jerome K Jerome and Sir Luke Fildes.

Strongly influenced by the work of John Singer Sargent, de László wrote in 1936 “the picture must show us the spirit by which the human form is vitalised…it must provide the sitter with the surroundings and atmosphere which are suitable to his personality and consistent with his state of life”.