From the San Francisco Bulletin, July 8, 1908:
PRINCESS ARTIST, NOT MERELY AMATEUR
Has Painted Portraits of Many Notables Abroad and in the United States and Has Miniature Zoo at Home.
WASHINGTON, July 8. — Princess Lwoff-Parlaghy, better known in the world of art as Vilma Parlaghy, was at the New Willard this afternoon, still slightly prostrated by the effects of the hot spell at Virginia Hot Springs, too sudden an atmospheric change from her sojourn in the bracing air of her small castle in Germany, where she spent most of the winter recovering from grief.
The third hand chauffeur recovered consciousness about the first to do so in the fierce heat that started out with the coming of Washington summer, but she stayed indoors under the eye of her German governess. Princess Lwoff-Parlaghy sat half-reclined in an easy chair at her Highness’ apartments in the hotel, directing a colored servant and a directory of maid to prepare for the delivery of her pictures.
The Princess will exhibit the paintings, which she says are not amateur efforts but are her very best work.
To her it is to be explained that the Princess will not be present to see to their delivery. The Princess will be summering at Bar Harbor.
Vilma Parlaghy, who has been painting for twenty years, was born at Hadju Dorog, Hungary, in 1863. At the age of 17 she showed such genius for art that she was admitted to the Holland school. Later she studied with Hugo Knorr and Professor Herterich.
In 1890 she went to Paris to pursue the academic training of painting. Since then as a woman, she says, she has made a wonderful success on the jury and salon exhibits. She has exhibited in Europe and America, and brings with her this summer thirty paintings and a wonderful collection of miniatures and etchings.
The Emperor Wilhelm is one of the many great men she has painted.
The Princess has painted no less than 400 portraits, including Emperor Franz Josef, Queen Carola of Saxony, King Humbert of Italy, King Edward VII, Bismarck, Admiral Dewey and Elihu Root.
The Princess is the owner of a quarter of a million dollars’ worth of gems and also a coat said to be worth $25,000. It is of blue fox with the tail and head of the animal used as trimmings. She has her own methods of dealing with servants. She also has a miniature zoo, including several dogs, monkeys, parrots and other animals.
“The Princess will exhibit the paintings, which she says are not amateur efforts but are her very best work.”
“Vilma Parlaghy… has made a wonderful success on the jury and salon exhibits.”
“The Princess has painted no less than 400 portraits, including Emperor Franz Josef, Queen Carola of Saxony, King Humbert of Italy, King Edward VII, Bismarck, Admiral Dewey and Elihu Root.”
“She has her own methods of dealing with servants.”
“She also has a miniature zoo, including several dogs, monkeys, parrots and canaries.”
“The Princess is the owner of a quarter of a million dollars’ worth of gems and also a coat said to be worth $25,000.”
“Born at Hadju Dorog, Hungary, in 1863… she showed such genius for art that she was admitted to the Holland school at 17.”
