Philip Alexius de László (1869-1937)
Philip Alexius de László (1869-1937)

Master Peter Calvocoressi

Details
Philip Alexius de László (1869-1937)
Master Peter Calvocoressi
signed and dated 'de László/1917.June.' (upper left)
oil on canvas
30 ¾ x 25 in. (78 x 63.5 cm.)
Provenance
By descent in the family of the sitter to the present owner.
Exhibited
Liverpool, Walker Art Gallery, Forty-Seventh Autumn Exhibition of Modern Art, September-December 1919, no. 901.

Brought to you by

Clare Keiller
Clare Keiller

Lot Essay

This was the first portrait painted by de László of the three children of Mr and Mrs Pandia Calvocoressi. Born in Karachi (1912-2010), Peter was the eldest child of a Greek mercantile family who originated from Chios in the Aegean. The Calvocoressis and their relatives, the Argenti, Ralli and Lambrinudi families were considerable patrons of de László. Educated at Eton and Oxford University, at the outbreak of the Second World War Calvocoressi joined the RAF in an intelligence role becoming Head of Air Intelligence at Station X, the top secret headquarters at Bletchley Park. Their code-breakers cracked Germany’s Enigma cipher, thus making a significant contribution to ending the war by intercepting orders from German high command. Calvocoressi also published a number of books on history and foreign affairs.

We are grateful to 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

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