Lucy de László

Lucy de László
Portrait by Philip de László, 1902
Born	Lucy Madeleine Guinness Template:Birth date Stillorgan, County Dublin, Ireland
Died	27 December 1950(1950-12-27) (aged 80) London, England
Resting place	All Saints Churchyard, Tilford
Other names	Lucy de László de Lombos Lucy Guinness
Occupation(s)	Socialite, musician, diarist
Spouse	Philip de László ​ ​ (m. 1900; died 1937)​
Children	6
Father	Henry Guinness
Relatives	Guinness family

Lucy Madeleine de László de Lombos (born Guinness; 22 December 1870 – 27 December 1950) was an Anglo-Irish socialite, amateur musician, and diarist, known also as the spouse of the artist Philip de László. Descended from the influential Guinness family, she was the granddaughter of Robert Rundell Guinness, founder of the Guinness Mahon banking institution. Her entry into the Hungarian nobility occurred in 1912 following her husband's ennoblement by Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria. Guinness encountered de László in 1892 while studying music in Munich, and she became the subject of multiple portraits by him.

Early life and family

Born at Burton Hall, her family's estate located in Stillorgan, County Dublin, Guinness was the daughter of Henry Guinness, who managed the Dublin branch of the Guinness Mahon bank and held the position of justice of the peace. Her mother, Emelina Brown Guinness, was the daughter of James Brown from Edinburgh. Among her siblings was politician and engineer Henry Guinness. As a member of the distinguished Guinness family, she was a granddaughter of banker Robert Rundell Guinness and a grandniece to politician Richard Samuel Guinness.

Adult life

In the early 1890s, both Guinness and her sister Eustace pursued music studies in Munich. It was there in 1892 that she met Anglo-Hungarian painter Philip de László, who was enrolled at the Royal Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts. Although initially opposed by her family due to his humble origins, de László’s eventual recognition as a portraitist of European royalty led to their acceptance. The couple married in 1900, with de László adopting Anglicanism for their marriage. Together they had six children.

Their residences included periods in Budapest and Vienna before they established their home in London in 1907. In 1912, Emperor Franz Joseph I granted de László nobility status, adding "de László de Lombos" to their name within Hungarian aristocracy.

Legacy

Among de László’s works is a 1902 portrait titled Lucy de László, exhibited at her family’s former estate, Farmleigh. This painting emphasizes her musical abilities by depicting her with a violin and marks his initial use of a landscape setting for a portrait. At least five portraits featuring her were produced by him. De László is recognized for integrating his female subjects’ talents into his artistic compositions.

The publication of Guinness’ personal diaries occurred in London in 2019 under the title The Diaries of Lucy de László, Volume I: 1890–1913.