PHILIP DE LASZLO: MASTER OF ELEGANCE

Philip de László was already one of the most famous portrait painters in Europe when he decided to settle in England in 1907. By the time of his death thirty years later, he was recognised as one of the world’s foremost portraitists – an artist who was able to depict any sitter, from society beauties to monarchs to common soldiers, with brilliance and verve, and who could bestow a touch of glamour and elegance on even the most modest of subjects.

Gainsborough’s House’s new exhibition coming to Suffolk, Philip de László: Master of Elegance, curated by the De Laszlo Archive Trust, showcases some of his most impressive and revealing portraits, all of which are bursting with vitality and virtuosity. The exhibition will feature rarely seen loans from private collections as well as important works from the Royal Collection, including a childhood portrait of Queen Elizabeth II when Princess of York.

Katherine Field, Senior Editor at the de Laszlo Archive Trust and exhibition curator, says: “De László’s relentless energy, charisma and pursuit of perfection in his art saw his circle of patronage widen from Budapest, the city of his birth, via the princely houses of Europe. London attracted him as a city immersed in a golden age and the work he produced there during the next thirty years reflected his skill and vivacity at its brilliant best.”

Director of Gainsborough’s House, Dr Steven Parissien, says: “De László’s works reflected an age in which the unequivocal display of success, luxury and fortune was able to be less ambiguously expressed than it is today, while his art represented the climax of a tradition of outstanding portraiture stretching back to Sargent, Lawrence, Gainsborough and Van Dyck. Gainsborough’s House Museum is delighted to have been able host this outstanding display of de László’s works – the first of its kind in the UK.”

* Philip de László: Master of Elegance opens on 23rd March and closes on 23rd June.

Picture captions:  

Above: Philip de László (1869–1937) - Sir Philip Sassoon, 3rd Baron Sassoon 1915 Oil on canvas

(Private Collection)

Above left: Mrs Philip de László, née Lucy Madeleine Guinness 1918 Oil on canvas

(Private Collection)

Hubert-François Gravelot

Also being shown from 23rd March to 23rd June at Gainsborough’s House is Hubert-François Gravelot (1699-1773): Designing the Georgian Book.

Hubert-François Gravelot (1699-1773) was a student of François Boucher and Jean Restout, invited to London to collaborate on the illustrations of a religious encyclopaedia in 1733. Bringing Rococo taste to England, Gravelot had a broad practice, being a draughtsman, painter, engraver, and designer.

During his 12 year stay in England, Gravelot joined William Hogarth in St. Martin’s Lane Academy. He collaborated on several designs with his former pupil Francis Hayman. Both Gravelot and Hayman were Gainsborough’s masters during his training in London in the early 1740s.

His output has long been overlooked by art historians because he was principally a supplier of designs for commercial enterprises, especially book illustrations, often considered a minor genre of art. Yet, his bravura in creating elegant scenes full of details in the small space of a page made his work famous. Well-known authors of the time such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Voltaire, or Henry Fielding, specifically asked for him to illustrate their works to ensure they became best-sellers. Overall, Gravelot designed the illustrations for more than 50 books both in France and in Britain.

Gainsborough’s House is fortunate to hold the largest collection of drawings and prints by Gravelot in the UK, second only to the British Museum’s. The exhibition will present a selection of books and preliminary studies highlighting Gravelot’s talent as illustrator.

* Visit Gainsborough's House, 46 Gainsborough Street, Sudbury CO10 2EU. Call, 01787 372958. Find more details here.