Wednesday 9 July 2025

Lot 440

Philip Alexius de László, PRBA, Hungarian / British 1869-1937-  Portrait of Dame Gwen Lucy...

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Lot 440

Philip Alexius de László, PRBA, 
Hungarian / British 1869-1937- 
Portrait of Dame Gwen Lucy...

Price Realised: £15,744

Estimate: £10,000 - £15,000

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Price realised is hammer price plus fees (31.2% Buyers Premium inclusive of VAT).

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Lot 440

Description

Philip Alexius de László, PRBA, 
Hungarian / British 1869-1937- 

Portrait of Dame Gwen Lucy Ffrangcon-Davies as Mary Queen of Scots; 

oil on canvas, signed, dated, and inscribed 'to / Ffrangcon Davies / in friendship / 1934 de László' (lower right), 91.5 x 71 cm. 

Provenance: 
The sitter. 
Anon. sale, Sotheby's, London, 13 May 1992, lot 36. 
Private Collection, UK. 

Literature: 
Laib L18971(275) / C6(28) 'Miss G. Davis'. 
Sitters’ Book II, opp. f. 78: 'Gwen Ffrangcon Davies / Sep 10th 1934'. 
'La Revue de l’art', 41st year, 3rd cycle, tome LXXI, no.378, Paris, 1937, p.316. 
O. Rutter, 'Portrait of a Painter', London, 1939, p.384. 
F. W. Braam, 'World Collectors Annuary',
The Hague and Amsterdam, vol. XLII, 1992. 
The de László Archive Trust, 'The Catalogue Raisonné of Works by Philip de László (1869-1937) [online]', no.5067. 

Note: 
This portrait was painted for Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies as a gift. The previous year she had sat for de László [3387] and was photographed as the major part of the illustrations for 'Painting a Portrait by de László', which analysed the artist’s painting technique. The present portrait portrays the sitter in her costume as Mary Queen of Scots in Gordon Daviot’s play Queen of Scots, which was written especially for her. In this she starred opposite the young Laurence Olivier as Bothwell. The artist painted a second smaller portrait of the sitter in the same costume, which remained in his studio until his death [13549]. 

Gwen is shown in an interpretation of 16th-century French mourning dress. Mary Queen of Scots was painted by François Clouet (Royal Collection Trust, RCIN 403429), wearing mourning, after the death of three members of her immediate family within a period of eighteen months: her father-in-law Henri II of France in July 1559, her mother, Mary of Guise in June 1560 and in December that year her husband François II. The play begins as Mary sails from France to Leith in Scotland 19 August 1561 to take up her throne. For biographical notes on the sitter, see [3387]. 

(The de László Archive Trust, 'The Catalogue Raisonné of Works by Philip de László (1869-1937) [online]'). 

Image 4: de Laszlo Archive © de Laszlo Foundation
Image 5: de Laszlo Archive © de Laszlo Foundation

Buyer's Premium

The buyer shall pay the hammer price together with a premium thereon of 26% up to £20,000 (31.2% inclusive of VAT), 25% from £20,001 - £500,000 (30% inclusive of VAT), 20% from £500,001 thereafter (24% inclusive of VAT). The premium price is subject to VAT at the standard rate.

VAT
VAT is not charged on the hammer price unless it is stated that there is 'VAT applicable on the hammer price at the end of the description. Buyer's premium is subject to VAT.
(ARR) - ARTIST'S RESALE RIGHT

Qualifying living artists and the descendants of artists deceased within the last 70 years are entitled to receive a re-sale royalty each time their work is bought through an auction house or art market professional.

It applies to lots with hammer value over £1,000 as follows:
0 to £50,000 - 4%
£50,000.01 to £200,000 - 3%
£200,000.01 to £350,000 - 1%
£350,000.01 to £500,000 - 0.5%
Exceeding £500,000 - 0.25%
ARR is capped at £12,500

Please note ARR is calculated in euros. Auctioneers will apply current exchange rates.

Export of goods

Buyers intending to export goods should ascertain whether an export licence is required before bidding. Export licences are issued by Arts Council England and application forms can be obtained from its Export Licensing Unit. Details can be found on the ACE website www.artscouncil.org.uk or by phoning ACE on 020 7973 5188. The need for import licences varies from country to country and you should acquaint yourself with all relevant local requirements and provisions before bidding. The refusal of any such licences shall not permit the cancelling of any sale nor allow any delay in making full payment for the lot.

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