PHILIP ALEXIUS DE LASZLO (HUNGARIAN 1869-1937)
HALF LENGTH PORTRAIT OF MAJOR HENRY FREDERICK ELLIOT LEWIN, LATER BRIGADIER-GENERAL, C. M. G.
£6,875
Auction: Day One: 14 March 2012 From 10am
Description
Signed and dated 1915, oil on canvas
90cm x 60cm
Footnote
PROVENANCE:
By descent in the family;
Bequeathed to Michael Borwick by the son of the sitter
Laib L7836(5) / C15(21) Major Lewin
N.P.G. 1915-16 Album, p. 55
Sitters' Book I, f.105: Harry Lewin 11. IX. 15.
The present portrait is a fine example of those that de László was commissioned to paint during the First World War of officers going to the front, whose families feared they might not return. Major Lewin survived the war but many of de Laszlo's soldier sitters were not so fortunate. This portrait would have been painted in just a few hours, since de László was extremely quick at achieving an excellent likeness and was much sought after for this reason. According to the daughter of one wartime sitter, the artist offered to paint portraits of often very young soldiers home on leave for fees as low as 50 guineas, compared to his normal pre-war rate of £400 for a similar size. In 1915 de László painted thirty-eight such portraits, almost half his total uniformed wartime output.
Henry Frederick Elliott Lewin was born 26 December 1872, the eldest son of Commander W. H. Lewin, of the Royal Navy and his Irish wife Caroline. He began his army career in 1894, was made a Captain in 1900. He served with the Egyptian army between 1901 and 1911. During the First World War he was made Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George and rose to the rank of Brigadier-General in 1917. He was also made a Knight of the Légion d'Honneur. His final posting was to command the Royal Artillery, Northern Command, 1925-29.
On 26 February 1913 he married Lady Ada Edwina Stewart Roberts, (1875-1955), later O.B.E., the daughter of one of England's most decorated generals, Field Marshal Earl Roberts (1832-1914), who was painted a number of times by de László (see Lot 86). She succeeded to her father's title after her elder sister's death in 1944, becoming Countess Roberts. Together they had one son, Frederick (Freddy) who served with the Irish Guards. He was killed in action in Norway in 1940.
After his marriage into the Roberts family Lewin became a great friend of Rudyard Kipling, who had composed several poems in his father-in-law's honour. Their long correspondence lasted until Kipling's death in 1936, exploring both military and literary subjects. The papers are now held at the Sussex University Library.
Brigadier-General Lewin died in 1946. The present portrait was inherited by his son, together with the de László portrait of his grandfather Lord Roberts. On Freddy's death they were bequeathed to his great friend, Michael Borwick, and by descent came to the present owners.
We are grateful to Sandra de Laszlo and Katherine Field for writing the catalogue entry for this portrait, which will be included in the Philip de László catalogue raisonné, currently presented in progress online: www.delaszlocatalogueraisonne.com