A Minuet

The son of a painter (also called Albert Ludovici), Ludovici Junior was born in Prague, although his family seems to have lived in England from his very early childhood. He studied in Paris and in1878 Ludovici joined the Society of British Artists, for which his father acted as Treasurer. When Whistler was elected President of the Society in 1886 Ludovici served on the committee. They worked closely together and became loyal friends, Whistler referring to him as his ‘trusty Aide de Camp!’ (Whistler to Ludovici letter, 24 March 1886). In 1886 Whistler took The Times to task for ignoring one of Ludovici’s paintings on exhibition in the Society of British Artists. Having been previously attracted by French naturalism and Impressionism, Ludovici was increasingly drawn to Whistler’s work, particularly his use of tone and colour. He exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1880, the Royal Society of British Artists from 1881, the Paris Salon from 1884, the New English Art Club from 1891, as well as the Grosvenor Gallery, the New Watercolour Society and the Société Internationale de la Peinture à l’Eau.