Lady Ludlow, née Alice Sedgwick Mankiewicz 1924

Here's a portrait of Lady Ludlow, née Alice Sedgwick Mankiewicz, made with oil on canvas by Philip Alexius de László. I love how the buttery yellow of her dress just glows, it's a color that's both rich and soft, like sunlight through silk. De László wasn't shy about laying down paint. You can see the brushstrokes in the folds of her gown, each one catching the light a little differently. And check out the way he handled the background, how those greens and browns just melt into each other. It's like he's not just painting a person, but a whole mood, a whole atmosphere. Look at how the light just catches the edge of her shoulder, and notice the shadow under her chin. The artist really sees the way light defines form. It reminds me a bit of Sargent, that same flair for capturing the elegance of a subject, but with an honesty, capturing the person behind the paint. It makes you think about how artists are always riffing off each other, borrowing and transforming ideas across time.