Lucy de László facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lucy de László
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Portrait by Philip de László, 1916
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| Born |
Lucy Madeleine Guinness
22 December 1870 Stillorgan, County Dublin, Ireland
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| Died | 27 December 1950 (aged 80) London, England
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| Resting place | All Saints Churchyard, Tilford |
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| Occupation | Socialite, musician, diarist |
| Spouse(s) |
Philip de László
(m. 1900; died 1937) |
| Children | 6 |
| Parent(s) |
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| Relatives | Guinness family |
Lucy Madeleine de László de Lombos (born Guinness; 1870–1950) was an important Anglo-Irish woman. She was known for being a socialite, which means she was active in high society. Lucy was also a talented amateur musician and kept detailed diaries. She was married to the famous painter Philip de László.
Lucy was a member of the well-known Guinness family. Her grandfather, Robert Rundell Guinness, started the Guinness Mahon bank. In 1912, Lucy became part of the Hungarian nobility. This happened when her husband was given a special title by Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria. Lucy met Philip de László in 1892 in Munich while she was studying music. She was also the subject of many of his beautiful portraits.
Her Early Life and Family
Lucy Guinness was born on December 22, 1870, at Burton Hall. This was her family's large country home in Stillorgan, County Dublin, Ireland. Her father, Henry Guinness, was a justice of the peace. This meant he was a local official who helped keep law and order. He also managed the Guinness Mahon bank in Dublin.
Lucy's mother was Emelina Brown Guinness. Emelina's father, James Brown, was from Edinburgh. Lucy had a brother named Henry Seymour Guinness, who became a politician and engineer. The Guinness family was very important and wealthy. Lucy's grandfather was the banker Robert Rundell Guinness. Her great-uncle was the politician Richard Samuel Guinness.
Meeting Philip de László and Marriage
In the early 1890s, Lucy and her sister, Eustace, went to Munich to study music. In 1892, while in Munich, Lucy met Philip László. He was an Anglo-Hungarian painter who was studying at the Royal Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts.
Lucy's family did not approve of her dating a student artist. Even though Philip was already becoming a successful portrait painter, her family thought he came from a humble background. Because of this, Lucy and Philip had to separate for a while. Philip continued to paint portraits of very important people. He painted the Bulgarian royal family, Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria, and even Pope Leo XIII.
Eventually, Philip's success convinced the Guinness family. Lucy was finally allowed to marry him, and they wed in 1900. Philip, who was raised Jewish and had become Catholic, changed to Anglicanism to marry Lucy. They had six children together. After they married, the couple lived in Budapest and Vienna. They finally settled in London in 1907.
In 1912, Lucy and her husband became part of the Hungarian nobility. This happened when Emperor Franz Joseph I gave Philip a special title. Philip then added "de Lombos" to his name, becoming "de László de Lombos."
Her Lasting Impact
A famous portrait of Lucy was painted by her husband in 1902. It is called Lucy de László and is now at her family's old estate, Farmleigh. The painting shows Lucy holding a violin, which highlights her musical talent. Philip started sketching this portrait while they were on vacation in Rothéneuf.
This portrait was the first one Philip painted of Lucy since their honeymoon. It was also the first of his portraits to use a landscape as the background. Philip painted at least five known portraits where Lucy was the main subject. He was one of the first portrait artists to be recognized for showing the talents of the women he painted.
Lucy Guinness's diaries were published in London in 2019. The book is called The Diaries of Lucy de László, Volume I: 1890–1913. These diaries give us a look into her life and experiences.
