Three years ago, the London daily,"The Guardian" announced through a laudatory article, the long-awaited biography of the one who was Philip de Laszlo (1869–1937). Signed by Peter Duff Hart-Davies and Caroline Corbeau Parsons, it revives the memory of one of the most prolific salon painters of the early 20th century. Completed by an extensive catalog raisonné, the book recomposes the artistic itinerary of the aforementioned "painter of the Queens".

The artist who would claim the most numerous royal clientele, a flourishing social position and an indisputable celebrity saw the light of day in a modest Jewish family in Budapest. Vocation for the arts in general, led him to become an apprentice of stage designer Lehmann Mor at an early age. Thirsty for knowledge, he takes refuge in the solitude of the studio and turns to painting and photography.

Imbued with various knowledge, he wins a scholarship to the School of Decorative Arts in Budapest. The new status opens wide the doors of the workshop of the academic painter, Bertalan Szekely. The pedagogue facilitates his study trips to Venice and Munich. At the same time, he attends the courses of Wilhelm von Kaulbach, Jules Lefebvre and Benjamin Constant, at the Julian Academy in Paris. The series of portraits that brought him fame began with Metropolitan Gregory of Bulgaria. Encouraged by his success, he accepted a new important commission from King Ferdinand I of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1887-1918) and Marie-Louise of Bourbon-Parma, followed by numerous portraits of German princes and Austrian archdukes. In 1900, he appears in the Salon of the National Society of Fine Arts in Paris with the portrait of Pope Leo XIII and from this moment his true artistic consecration begins.
His growing celebrity brought him to the forefront of the Royal Society of British Artists and also to the entourage of the English Royal House. Far from discouraging him, the rain of orders finds him ready: Laszlo paints with frenzy. His sophisticated technique is doubled by unprecedented dexterity. He can create with apparent ease the most complicated portraits in just a few sessions, a fact meant to bring his rich clientele even closer (the number of his works is estimated at around 3000!). In 1903, the first order came from Emperor Franz Josef, and in 1908, he executed the portrait of the American president, Theodor Roosevelt. The crowning of his work, however, came in 1912 through the House of Habsburg, who ennobled him, thus becoming Philipp Laszlo de Lombos.
On the occasion of the European tour organized in Switzerland, France, Belgium and Great Britain by the Romanian Royal House in the spring of 1924, the first contact with the art of the great portraitist has Queen Maria at its center. Apart from the official visit schedule, meticulously organized by King George V, the sovereign notes in her Diary her visits to the painter's luxurious studio, on the 15th, 20th, 21st and 22nd of May. The excitement surrounding the work was all the greater, as a month later it will be exhibited in London. Represented three-quarters, in golden drapery, artistically thrown over the shoulders, with the famous tiara of sapphires and diamonds on her head, wearing the superb Cartier necklace around her neck, Maria smiles discreetly at the viewer. Although vivid, the chromaticism avoids the strident notes and gives the whole composition depth and elegance. The neutral background with mysterious shadows, intensifies, by contrast, the air of presence of the character. Here are Maria's notations, relative to the time when the portrait was made by the artist:
,,[…] I then went with Baby [Beatrice de Orléans – Bourbon, Queen Maria's youngest sister] to visit Laszlo's studio. I have never seen anything more wonderful than his portraits, which are amazing. He proposed to make me a sketch, which of course I had no intention of refusing. We looked at all his works and had the most pleasant time".  (May 15, 1924).

A few days later, on the morning of May 20, the Queen recorded:

"Early departure to Laszlo's workshop. […] He works amazingly fast and it's wonderful to watch him paint. He is so full of enthusiasm when he begins a painting that delights him, that you have the feeling that he wants to shout with joy and excitement. […] I always wanted to get in touch with him because I admire his portraits more than anything. However, I had to sit very straight and completely still with that diadem which, in the end, gave me a headache that tormented me all day [...]".
On Wednesday, May 21, Regina wrote:
"This day was almost entirely dedicated to Laszlo and the portrait he makes. […]I have never seen anyone paint like him in my life. It almost seems like witchcraft. Being pressed for time, he does not waste time to make a sketch first, but paints from the very beginning. The beauty of the color is perfect, and he seems to concern himself with the best in a figure and to bring it out with astonishing intensity. [...]I am all in gold, with the gold band on my forehead which I always wear under my diadems, my beautiful Russian diadem, with my long pearl earrings and the pearl pendant in front as I sometimes wore, the one covered with a golden veil placed on an almost black background. A golden harmony with the eyes and sapphires with unique shades of blue and from this gold, my face radiates an incredible intense expressiveness [...]".

May 22 marks Maria's last reunion with the artist:

,,[…] when the painting was finished and lifted up, a living woman appeared in front of us, in a golden dress and veil, with a gorgeous diadem on her head... […]I felt proud, because I , almost 50 years old, I inspired such a painting[…]. Laszlo, apart from the fact that he is an extraordinary artist, is also one who loves society, so he, especially in this fleeting moment of my great popularity, has secured for himself a success after which many run and, since the painting does not may not attract attention, it will give him a big advertisement. [...]".
In 1925, he executed two portraits of Helena of Greece, one of them kept in Versoix. A year before he left this world, in 1936, Laszlo was asked to paint three portraits of King Charles II, another four of Queen Maria and two of King Mihai.

In December of last year, Cartier House in Paris opened a large exhibition at the Grand Palais dedicated to the most valuable achievements of the famous jewelry store. Founded in 1847, this year it celebrates one hundred and sixty-seven years of brilliant existence and tradition of luxury. Among the extremely rare pieces on display, the famous sapphire of Queen Maria, purchased by King Ferdinand as a gift for the Coronation festivities on October 15, 1922 in Alba-Iulia. On September 7, 1921, Maria wrote in her diary:

,,[…] we first went to Cartier's to get the gorgeous sapphire and diamond necklace that Nando bought me to set with my tiara. It is a unique, gorgeous piece of jewelry and the woman in me rejoices, because jewelry has always had a special meaning in our family - a Russian heritage!"

Through the will of June 29, 1933, drawn up in Balcic, Queen Maria offered the Crown Prince, King Mihai I, after his death, the famous Cartier jewel:

,,[…]I leave to my beloved nephew Mihai, Voivod of Alba Iulia, the big diamond that was given to me by King Ferdinand [...]"

Considered by connoisseurs as one of the largest sapphires in the world, the 478-carat faceted Sri Lankan gem, in the elegant floral setting, decorated with diamonds, was purchased by Casa Cartier in 1913. In the same year, it is included in a necklace with seven diamonds. In 1919, Cartier isolates the sapphire again to highlight its absolutely unique beauty and exhibits it in San Sebastiano, Spain, where it attracts the attention of several crowned heads. Sold by King Michael after abdication, the sapphire reappears in 2003, when, at a Christie's auction in Geneva, it is bought for the fabulous price of 1,500,000 US dollars!

As the sovereign herself testifies in her Journal, the "Russian heritage" is represented by the diadem with sapphires and diamonds. In 1825, Tsar Nicholas I gave his wife, Alexandra Feodorovna, born Charlotte of Prussia, a gift worthy of an empress. After the tsarina's death, the tiara is inherited by her daughter-in-law, the wife of Grand Duke Vladimir, Maria Pavlovna, born Princess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, mother-in-law of Victoria Melita, who turns to Casa Cartier for an important adjustment. Honored by the order, the famous French jeweler Louis Cartier personally travels to St. Petersburg.

After the fall of the Romanovs, Maria Pavlovna sells it for obvious reasons to Queen Maria of Romania. In 1931, on the occasion of her marriage to Archduke Anton de Habsburg, Princess Ileana received the famous diadem as a gift, which she sold in the 1950s, in the United States, for the sum of 80,000 dollars. Today, through an interesting contest of circumstances, the diadem returned to Casa Cartier after almost a century.

Housed in the Hall of Honor of Pelisor Castle, the Art Déco portrait of Queen Mary painted by Philip de Laszlo invites you to admire both the mastery of the artist who created it and the beauty of the royal jewels.