Philip de Laszlo: Triumph in London

"Joseph Joachim" by Philip de Laszlo

Philip de Laszlo had arranged for his first one-man exhibition in England to be held at the Fine Art Society in London. Fifty pictures were shown, gathered with considerable difficulty from various parts of Europe, and due to limited gallery space, the hanging was no easy matter. Count Montesquiou, on hearing that his portrait had been given a bad position, telegraphed from Paris to say that he regarded this treatment as an insult and demanded the return of the picture unless it were given a better place!

De Laszlo's friend Count Mensdorff, the Austro-Hungarian Ambassador in London, gave him much help, particularly on the social side. He was extremely popular in London society, and the fact that he agreed to open the exhibition brought the fashionable world to see de Laszlo's portraits. 

One of the results of the exhibit was his long desired royal commission. Philip de Laszlo wrote: "'On 7 June King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra honoured me by their presence, accompanied by Princess Victoria and several members of the Court. They were received by Count Mensdorff, who presented me to Their Majesties.

The exhibition was crowded all the morning with visitors and I had my first experience of the King's and Queen's exceptional charm. While I was showing Their Majesties round, the press of people was so great that the King turned to me and said in his jovial way: 'Well, Laszlo, you can be content with your success. The King of England has no room to move in your exhibition!' It was half-past twelve when Their Majesties left. 

Having been there since early morning I was so exhausted when my Royal guests departed that I left the gallery and took a hansom to the Hotel Metropole, where I was staying. I was tired out and longing for my luncheon. Scarcely had I sat down and begun to enjoy my soup, when the waiter brought to my table a messenger from Buckingham Palace. He handed me a letter commanding me to be at Buckingham Palace at three o'clock to begin immediately a portrait of Princess Victoria.

This command came upon me like a meteor, straight from Heaven. I had come from Vienna only to arrange and open the exhibition, without any expectation of receiving so important a commission. I had not even got my painting materials. I immediately left my luncheon and wrote my reply saying that I would be at the Palace by half-past two to enable me to arrange the room in which the sitting was to take place. I drove to Roberson's colour shop in Piccadilly, where I bought what I needed, chose an easel, and asked that everything should be sent immediately to Buckingham Palace.'"

To be continued

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