The Branch House’s original residents, John Kerr Branch and Beulah Gould Branch, were painted by renowned portrait artist Philip Alexius de László in the 1920s. On loan from Branch Family descendants, Marjorie Greville and Margaret Chace, to help celebrate The Branch House’s centennial (2019). This is the first time these portraits are on display together.

Artist Philip de László, following a meteoric rise to recognition in his native Hungary, settled in Britain in 1907 and became the leading portrait-painter in the country—taking over from John Singer Sargent. Marrying into the Guinness family, he painted members of almost every royal family in Europe, as well as religious and cultural leaders, and very many more of its Who’s Who.

Philip de László wrote in 1936 “the picture must show us the spirit by which the human form is vitalised…it must provide the sitter with the surroundings and atmosphere which are suitable to his personality and consistent with his state of life”.

These portraits are on display in the Museum’s Library.