Jerome Klapka Jerome
- Artist: Philip Alexius de László
- Date: 1921
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Dimensions: 36 in. x 28 in. (914 mm x 711 mm)
- Portrays: Jerome Klapka Jerome
- Museum: The National Portrait Gallery
- Collection record: The National Portrait Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is “Jerome Klapka Jerome”, painted in 1921 by Hungarian‑born portraitist Philip Alexius de László. The canvas is about 36 by 28 inches, and the oil finish gives his face a soft depth that pulls you into his thoughtful gaze. Notice how de László captures the gentle slope of his lips and the subtle shading around his eyes – details that hint at a man who spent evenings turning pages into stories.
Jerome was a novelist and playwright, best known for “Three Men in a Boat” (1889). He began life as a railway clerk before becoming an actor; those early years fed his first book, *On the Stage – and off* (1885). In 1921 he sat once more for de László, who had been interned during World War I as an “enemy alien”. This portrait is a testament to their friendship.
The frame is a Spanish reverse‑section style that de László chose for many of his portraits.
See it in person
Jerome Klapka Jerome is in the collection of The National Portrait Gallery at St Martin's Place, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
