Philip de László

Philip Alexius de László (30 April 1869 - 22 November 1937) was a Hungarian painter known particularly for his portraits of royal and aristocratic personages.
De László was born in Budapest as Laub Fülöp Elek (Hungarian style with the surname first), the eldest son of a tailor. The family changed its name to László in 1891, and his name became "Laszlo de Lombos" after being made a nobleman in 1912 by Emperor Franz Joseph. The Emperor had previously sat for a portrait in 1896. The family later shortened the name to "de Laszlo
As a young man, de László apprenticed to a photographer while studying art, eventually earning a place at the National Academy of Art, where he studied under Bertalan Székely and Károly Lotz. He followed this with studies in Munich and Paris. De László's 1900 portrait of Pope Leo XIII earned him a Grand Gold Medal at the Paris International Exhibition. In 1903 he moved from Budapest to Vienna, and ultimately to England in 1907. He remained based in London for the rest of his life while traveling the world to fulfill commissions. His patrons who sat for portraits awarded him numerous honors and medals, including King Edward VII making him a Member of the Royal Victorian Order in 1909.