Philip de Laszlo: Regaining Ground

"Mrs Frank Ashton Bellville"
by Philip de Laszlo

"Philip de Laszlo's internment left its mark upon him until his death, but, once he was free, he set to, like the fighter he was, to win back the position he had lost. He was only 51. He had his home, his wife, his boys, and many friends who had proved their loyalty during his distress. He had earned nothing for two years, during which time he had had to provide for the education of his five sons, but his talent was unimpaired and he believed that suffering had deepened his vision.

Like a brave man, he began to paint again with all his old enthusiasm, confident that now his name was cleared he would soon re-establish himself. In doing this he had little difficulty. He began painting again at West House Studio in the middle of July and by the end of the year had completed twenty portraits, which earned him 8,000 pounds.

The following year he worked harder than ever, and completed no less than forty-two portraits. By the beginning of 1921 de Laszlo was able to feel that he had, in some measure, made up for those two wasted years. He was invited to show some of his latest work at the National Portrait Society's exhibition. The illustrated weeklies took to reproducing his portraits again in full page reproductions. 'The Studio' published an appreciation, and in its series entitled 'Modern Painting,' devoted one issue to his work with a number of reproductions in colour. With commissions coming in faster than he could execute them he was once more assured of the future.

With the idea of making sufficient money to cover the heavy expenses of his new house and studio he had planned a visit to the United States, where he looked forward to a busy three months carrying out promised commissions and others he hoped to obtain. 'I must get calmer,' he wrote, 'and I must be sensible and smoke fewer cigarettes. I must become altogether more sensible in my daily life. I forget my age, for in heart and ambition I remain a young man.'

To be continued

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