Artists' Lives was initiated in 1990 by National Life Stories, the charitable trust based in the oral history section of the British Library, in partnership with Tate Archive.

Five individuals who had been painted or were in close contact with de László were interviewed thus providing a unique first hand account of the artist and his life. 

 

Mrs John H. Walford, née Diana Myrtle Ralli (1918-2001) – Painted age four in 1922, memories of the artist’s studio and sitting for her portrait.

https://sounds.bl.uk/Arts-literature-and-performance/Art/021M-C0466X0081XX-0200V0

 

Lady Elizabeth Basset, née Lady Elizabeth Legge (1908-2000) – Painted in 1931

https://sounds.bl.uk/Arts-literature-and-performance/Art/021M-C0466X0085XX-0100V0

 

Sir Alexander Glen (1912-2004) – Industrialist and Arctic explorer. John de Laszlo was a close friend and accompanied him on the 1933 Oxford University expedition to Spitsbergen on the Svalbard archipelago.

https://sounds.bl.uk/Arts-literature-and-performance/Art/021M-C0466X0078XX-0400V0

 

Philip German-Ribon (1912-2017) – Friend of John de Laszlo, youngest son of the artist. He describes visits to the house and studio in the 1930s.

https://sounds.bl.uk/Arts-literature-and-performance/Art/021M-C0466X0084XX-0200V0

 

Marit Aschan (1919-2004) – Granddaughter of Howard Guinness, brother of Lucy. Her sister Helga was painted in 1922 and 1934.

https://sounds.bl.uk/Arts-literature-and-performance/Art/021M-C0466X0082XX-0100V0