Charcoal, 75.6 by 55.3 cm (29 ½ by 21 ¾ ins)

Provenance: In the possession of the artist on his death; Thence by descent; Christie’s South Kensington, 13 June 1997, lot 68; Private Collection, UK. 

Literature: Studio Inventory, p.144 (12): Study of a Girl. The de László Archive Trust, 'The Catalogue Raisonné of Works by Philip de László (1869-1937) [online]', no.2952. 

Julia James (1890–1964) was a celebrated English actress of the Edwardian era, appearing at the Gaiety Theatre in The Girls of Gottenburg, Havana and Our Miss Gibbs as well as in several productions at L'Olympia theatre in Paris (see fig.1). She was painted by de László following a commission from St Dunstan’s charity in 1916. He later executed three further more informal portraits of her in May 2017 for his own pleasure. The present portrait drawing is one of these and remained in the artist’s studio until his death. Another (studio inv.no.5817) was given to James by the artist for agreeing to sit for him.