Philip Alexius De László (1869-1937)
Lot 32 We are grateful to Caroline Corbeau-Parsons for writing catalogue entries for these portraits (lots 31-33), which are to be included in the Philip de László catalogue raisonné online. (www.delaszlocatalogueraisonne.com)

The Hon. Mrs de Laszlo and a team of editors are compiling the catalogue raisonné of the artist's work. Caroline Corbeau-Parsons is the British and French Editor. Please see www.delaszloarchivetrust.com or contact catalogue@delaszlo.com for more information.

Philip Alexius De László (1869-1937)

Portrait of Jean Garmany Brandt (b. 1867)

Closed15 December 2011

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GBP 15,000

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Philip Alexius De László (1869-1937)
Portrait of Jean Garmany Brandt (b. 1867)
signed and dated 'de Laszlo/1928' (lower left)
oil on canvas
34 x 26½ in. (86.4 x 67.3 cm.)

Commissioned by the sitter and thence by descent to the present owner.

Specialist note

This portrait was the last one de László completed of the Brandt family. Jean 'Janie' Champion Garmany was born to a prominent family in Savannah, Georgia. In 1887, she secretly married Heyward Hall McAllister, the youngest son of Ward McAllister, founder and leader of The Four Hundred. When their union was discovered in 1892, her father-in-law publicly disapproved of the match arguing that his son could not support her, and had no prospect of employment. In reality Ward McAllister had hoped that Heyward would marry someone with considerable wealth to alleviate his own financial troubles. The marriage was never consummated, and the young couple divorced in 1892.
Jean Garmany's mother took her to Europe and North Africa to avoid the press and the weight of the scandal. While walking in Egypt, Jean met and fell in love with a young banker, Augustus Brandt (1871-1952). Together they had two daughters, Jean (born 1900) and Gwendolen 'Gwen' (born 1904), and settled at Castle Hill, Bletchingley, in Surrey. There, they welcomed and supported for a time their nephew, the photographer Bill Brandt.