Philip de Laszlo: Prince Chlodwig Hohenlohe-Schillingsfurst

"Chlodwig Hohenlohe-Schillingsfurst"
by Philip de Laszlo

Philip de Laszlo wrote: "Early in March, 1899, I arrived in Berlin, where I stayed at the German chancellor's palace. A delightful studio had been arranged for me in a covered verandah, and there I met the Chancellor's son, Prince Alexander. It was the family's wish to have the portrait of the Chancellor painted for his eightieth birthday. Prince Alexander wished to have his father painted standing as if delivering a speech. I could understand his desire to see his father perpetuated thus, yet the Chancellor was a very small man, exceptionally bent.

To paint him as I saw him would have been almost impossible, and I came to the conclusion that I must try to avoid doing what I had been asked to do. I wanted to reduce the picture so far as possible to a head-and-shoulders, to enable me to concentrate on his deep searching expression and noble features. I particularly admired the expression of his pale blue eyes, which seemed to become more brilliant, like large aquamarines.

The situation was too delicate to explain to his son. Happily circumstances helped me to achieve what I believed should be done. After my fourth sitting, I received from the Hungarian Minister of Art and Education an official letter in which he asked me if I could persuade the Chancellor to give me sittings for a head-and-shoulders portrait for the National Museum of Fine Arts, as a pendant to the famous portrait of Bismarck by Lenbach.

I immediately showed the letter to the Chancellor, who was visibly flattered, and asked him if he would mind my putting aside the portrait I had begun, and start the one I had been asked to do for Hungary. He good naturedly consented.

I was so keen about it that I started the new picture next morning, hoping that when he compared my own conception with the desired portrait, in which his physical failing were so obvious, he himself might wish to be painted in that way. I went to work with all my heart and soul. At the second sitting he stepped down from his platform to look at the picture and asked, 'Why did you not paint the portrait I am to have like that?' So I had my way without being obliged to explain my reasons.

I never thought that this picture would mean so much to my career. On the day of the last sitting the Chancellor was giving an official dinner party in honour of the German Emperor, and afterwards showed the portrait to the Emperor. He was so pleased that he expressed the desire that it should be exhibited at the Schulte Gallery in Berlin. But I had intended to show the picture, with the Chancellor's permission, at the Paris Salon, and there were only a few days for it to reach Paris in time. I explained this to the Emperor, who insisted 'The picture cannot be shown in Paris before the Berlin public has a chance to see it. I will arrange for it to be sent by a special courier to Paris.'

And so it was, and when the picture was shown in the Salon of 1899 it received a Gold Medal, thus becoming hors concours, meaning in the future de Laszlo was free to enter works for the Salon without competition. Over the next few months the portrait was exhibited to similar acclaim in Baden-Baden, Budapest and Vienna, and commission after commission came his way."

To be continued

(Excerpts from "Portrait of a Painter" by Owen Rutter.)