Philip de Laszlo: Last Royal Portraits

"Queen Marie, the Queen Mother of Romania"

"While staying at Cannes in February, 1935, de Laszlo received an invitation from the Hungarian Government to paint a second portrait of the Regent. In Budapest he had a great reception. He found time to see those of his relatives who were still alive and had invitations showered upon him. The illustrated papers were full of pictures of him. He received letters of welcome from unknown painters, requests to criticize the work of child-artists, appeals for autographs. 

Hungary at last accepted him as one of her most distinguished sons. After the neglect and hostile treatment of the past he was glad of this final reconciliation with his own country, and was deeply touched by a letter from a journalist asking pardon for the derogatory remarks he had made about him during the war. 

Early in the following year de Laszlo went to Bucharest to paint what was to be his last portrait of a reigning sovereign - King Carol - for the National Bank of Romania. He first painted another portrait of Queen Marie, the King's mother, then the King in full uniform, and a sketch of Prince Michael. 

When the portraits were finished, Lucy joined him in Bucharest and they left together for Constantinople and the Holy Land, returning to England in May. The holiday seemed to have done him good, but in August he had an attack of angina and was ordered a complete rest for several weeks. He had to cancel all his engagements, staying in bed and, tired as he was and in pain, he fretted at being there.

When he was better he decided to test his strength by painting the aged Mr. Edward Tuck for Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, a portrait which shows, as a friend observed, 'How beautifully a noble man may support the weight of ninety-eight years." He began to dictate his memoirs, but still he could not be kept from painting, and had a relapse. He was ordered to rest after each sitting and never paint more than four days a week."

To be continued

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