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G1254
Paintings: G1254
Title
Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies as Mary Queen of Scots
Subject
Artist
de Laslo, Philip Alexius
Date
1934
Dimensions
height: 89.5cm
width: 69cm
width: 69cm
Other materials
Oil on canvas
Inscription/signature
Inscription bottom right: 'to / FfrangconDavies / in friendship / 1934 de László'
Provenance
Bought by the works of Art Committee in July 2025 at Auction at Rosebury's. Previous provenance: Provenance:
The sitter.
Anon. sale, Sotheby's, London, 13 May 1992, lot 36.
Private Collection, UK.
Other number
E0150
This portrait depicts the British actress, Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies in character as Mary Queen of Scots, in Gordon Daviot's play 'Queen of Scots'. The part especially written for her, and she starred opposite a young Laurence Olivier as Bothwell. Gordon Daviot was the pen name of the writer Josephine Tey, whose real name was Elizabeth MacKintosh (1896-1952). The play was first perfomed in 1934, at the New Theatre in London and produced by John Gielgud, who was a a good friend of the writer. Both Gielgud and Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies had performed in Josephine Tey's first play 'Richard of Bordeaux' in 1932.
