Codrington was one of a number of women artists commissioned by the Imperial War Museum to record the First World War.
Her portrait was painted in 1909, shortly after De László moved to England in 1907. His circle in London included Codrington's husband, fellow-Hungarian art critic Paul George Konody. It is probable that this portrait was a gift to the couple. It remained in the ownership of the Codrington family who have consigned it for auction at Lyon & Turnbull’s Five Centuries: Furniture, Paintings & Works of Art auction in Edinburgh on February 5.
Known for his portraits of royals and aristocrats, de László's sitters also included industrialists, scientists, politicians, artists, authors and the wealthy people of his day.
Katherine Field, senior editor of the catalogue raisonné of works by de László, said: “This is an exciting new discovery. It is an example of the artist’s brilliantly spontaneous study portraits, which de László’s mastery of technique allowed him to complete in as little as two hours.”
Pictures by society portratists often come up at auction. On November 16, 2019, a half-length portrait of Lady Armatrude Waechter de Grimston (b.1890) by de László sold at Tennants of Leyburn (20% buyer’s premium) at a hammer price of £18,000.
Read about a group of early to mid-20th century portraits of society figures that sold at auction recently here.
