Student Artwork Guide
Copyright This work is in the public domain. Philip Alexius De László died in 1937; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 2007.
In context
Self-Portrait — Philip Alexius De László
Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 68 at death.
Painted when the artist was 19. The artist lived to 68. 0 of the 87 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.
Shaded: the lifetime of Philip Alexius De László (1869–1937) ▲ this work, 1888 every dated painting, decade by decade
First works: up to 1904 Main working years: 1904–1919 Late works: from 1919
Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them
Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.
More works to set beside this one: originaluniqueart.com/en/art/similar/philip-alexius-de-laszlo-self-portrait-8YDTYR-en/
Measured from the image
Main colour
Black #160f14
Catalogued palette
These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour
The ten leading countries
Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.
Together these works take 80.0% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 90 works by this artist, of which 27 were looked at at least once. This painting has not been looked at yet in that time — it closes the list without a rank. The same counts, month by month
Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.
Artist and museum
Philip Alexius de László, born Fülöp Laub on April 30, 1869, in Budapest, Hungary, rose from humble beginnings to become a celebrated portrait painter of European royalty and aristocracy. His parents, Adolf and Johanna Laub, were a tailor and seamstress respectively, of Jewish origin. He initially apprenticed as a photographer while pursuing his artistic studies. He gained admission to the National Academy of Art in Budapest, studying under Bertalan Székely and Károly Lotz. Further studies in Munich and Paris broadened his artistic horizons.
De László’s early work demonstrated a keen eye for detail and a developing mastery of realism. His influences included the academic traditions he learned at the Academy, as well as the prevailing trends in portraiture during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He quickly distinguished himself with his ability to capture not only physical likeness but also the personality and social standing of his sitters. A pivotal moment came in 1900 when his portrait of Pope Leo XIII earned him a Grand Gold Medal at the Paris International Exhibition, establishing his international reputation.
Following his success in Paris, de László moved to Vienna in 1903 and then settled in London in 1907, where he remained for the rest of his life. He became a highly sought-after portraitist among the European elite. His clientele included monarchs, nobles, industrialists, scientists, and prominent figures from various fields.
Notable Sitters: Sir Alfred East, Winifred Cavendish-Bentinck (Duchess of Portland), Lady Louise Mountbatten (Queen of Sweden), Vita Sackville-West, Pope Leo XIII, Augusta Victoria (German Empress), Princess Alice of Battenberg, and many others.
Honors & Recognition: Invested as a Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO) by Edward VII in 1909. Ennobled by King Franz Joseph I of Hungary in 1912, adopting the name “de László de Lombos.”
In 1900, de László married Lucy Madeleine Guinness, a member of the prominent banking family. They had six children and seventeen grandchildren. He converted to Anglicanism upon his marriage after an earlier interest in Catholicism. Despite his British citizenship and established life in England, he faced internment during World War I (1917-1918) due to suspicions surrounding his Austrian connections, a period of significant hardship.
De László’s style is characterized by its realism, meticulous detail, and vibrant color palette. He was adept at capturing the textures of fabrics, jewelry, and skin tones. His portraits often convey a sense of elegance, sophistication, and social status. While primarily known for portraiture, he also created landscapes and genre scenes.
Philip de László’s work provides valuable insights into the lives and appearances of European high society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His portraits serve as historical documents, capturing a specific era and its social dynamics. Although sometimes criticized for being primarily a society portraitist, his technical skill and ability to capture character are undeniable. His oeuvre comprises nearly 4,000 works, including drawings, and a catalogue raisonné is currently in progress. He died on November 22, 1937, in London, leaving behind a lasting legacy as one of the foremost portrait painters of his time.
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Look closely
Self-Portrait — Philip Alexius De László
Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.
Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.
"Self-Portrait" is deep_shadow overall, and its luminance is dark.
To get a digital file of "Self-Portrait" by Philip Alexius De László, order a high-resolution digital image download on its Digital Image page.
The light-dark contrast of "Self-Portrait" is recorded as statement. Contrast describes how strongly light and dark areas differ.