Frederic Leighton was a British painter of the late 19th Century, and one of the pre-eminent artists of the Victorian period. Leighton was bearer of the shortest-lived peerage in history; after only one day his hereditary peerage became extinct upon his death.
Background
Frederic Leighton was born on December 3, 1830, in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, into the family of a wealthy doctor, Frederic Septimus Leighton. Leighton's family had longstanding connections to the Russian monarchy through his grandfather, who had been court physician to both Czar Alexander I and, briefly, Czar Nicholas I. Leighton's father thus inherited a great deal of wealth and subsequently retired, perhaps due to his wife's declining health, deciding to focus instead on his family.
Leighton's artistic gifts became evident as early as the age of five, when he took up a pencil and paper and began drawing various household objects and pets while bedridden from a severe illness. At the age of nine, under similar circumstances, when he sketched copies of two of his father's own paintings. These demonstrations of his talent convinced Leighton's parents of giving him a chance at an art education.
His first exposure to professional painting happened in 1839 when he visited the studio of artist George Lance while the family was staying in Paris. The visit had been unplanned, but it made a notable impression on young Leighton. The artist persuaded his parents to allow him to return to the studio several more times. In his spare time, the artist would tour art galleries, churches, and museums throughout the city, becoming acquainted with the history of art and stoking the fires of his newly-discovered passion. This would continue for the next two years, during which the family traveled throughout Italy, visiting the country's other art centers of Florence, Venice, Bologna, and Milan.
In 1844, the family return to Italy, where they settled for a time in Florence. Young Leighton was overjoyed to be back and wasted no time re-visiting the art galleries, this time with a more experienced eye. Meanwhile, his father, still unconvinced about the wisdom of art as a profession, sought the opinion of his friend, an American sculptor by the name of Hiram Powers, who had somewhat of a reputation for discouraging people from pursuing careers in art. Powers readily agreed to have a look at the boy's work, but, after several days of deliberation, told Dr. Leighton that he could not, in good conscience, oppose his son's endeavors due to his outstanding talent. This was a turning point for young Leighton, for now he had his father's blessing to pursue art in earnest, on the one condition that his general education was not sidelined.
Education
Leighton's family moved to Rome, where his father hired the draftsman, Signor Francesco Meli, to continue Leighton's instruction in art. It was from him that Leighton received his first serious lessons in draftsmanship. By the summer of 1842, the family had returned, by way of Germany, to England, where Leighton briefly attended University College School in London. The diverse, and intensive, education Leighton had acquired on the continent, thanks to the perseverance of his father, soon gained him recognition amongst his teachers and peers. By this time he was already fluent in French and Italian.
While in the Prussian capital, Leighton took art classes at the Royal Academy. This indirectly led to his work being praised by one of the Academy's professors, Dählinger, when he happened to see some of the boy's work around the family's house during a visit. The professor remarked that Leighton had the makings of a distinguished artist, which was perhaps what finally convinced his father to make art lessons a more serious part of Leighton's education.
Spring of 1845 saw Leighton attending the Academia delle Belle Arti in Florence, studying under Bezzuoli and Servolini. Both were considered among the best Italian artists of the time, often compared to Michelangelo and Raphael by their students. Whether or not Leighton shared such sentiments is unclear, but he learned a great deal under their guidance. Dr. Leighton, too, contributed to his son's art studies. The father would have his boy copy existing prints of the human body, then tear the drawings up and make him redraw the pictures anew from memory, in this way making sure that Leighton became as familiar with the bones, muscles, and organs of the human body as any learned doctor. These exercises instilled in Leighton a remarkable ability to draw from memory.
At the end of 1846, the family moved to Frankfurt, where Leighton continued his studies at the Städel Institute. The institute possessed a robust art gallery, having inherited its founder's extensive collection, and the young artist found plenty of material for study. The following year was spent in Brussels. At this point Leighton was seventeen and an adult in his father's eyes, so he was allowed to conclude his general studies and devote all of his time to artistic pursuits. However, although he was introduced to multiple well-known teachers, he did not become attached to any one studio, instead choosing to remain independent.
The period 1849 - 1850 saw yet more traveling on Leighton's part as the family visited first Paris, then Athens. However, since he was now pursuing an artistic career in earnest, Leighton was drawn back to Frankfurt and the Städel Institute, having made good friends with the professors and finding the environment much to his liking.
In 1852, Leighton traveled back to Rome, stopping for a short time in Venice, where he drew one of his most famous sketches, "Byzantine Well-head." Leighton's early biographers claimed that working on the detailed drawing under the bright Venetian sun gave Leighton eyesight problems which would hound him later in life. Upon reaching the Eternal City, he set up a studio on the Via della Purificazione to work on "Cimabue's Celebrated Madonna" in 1855, a painting that would later prove to be his breakthrough to fame.
In 1855 the artist attended an exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, where he finally unveiled "Cimabue's Celebrated Madonna" to the public. The painting was an immense success and garnered unprecedented praise and attention, even catching the eye of Queen Victoria, who soon purchased it for the royal collection. This recognition from the country's regent silenced even the harshest critics whilst propelling Leighton to widespread recognition in his home country, from where his fame soon spread to the continent.
Leighton was cautious not to let success go to his head, and left England after only a brief stay. The payment he had received for his celebrated painting was largely spent on supporting struggling young artists, both at home and abroad, as part of a bid to revitalize the fine arts in England. Leighton moved to Paris, where he set up a studio on the Rue Pigalle to continue his own work. His fame preceded him, and he was soon enjoying the company and friendship of many talented French artists who came to visit and observe his work. He participated in the 1855 World Fair with the painting "Reconciliation of Montagues and Capulets" (1855), and then later again displayed at the Royal Academy in England with "The Triumph of Music" (1856). The next few years were spent mostly in and around Paris as Leighton found some of his first real patrons.
In the winter of 1858 - 1859 Leighton moved back to Rome, though he continued sending his works home to the Royal Academy. "Samson and Delilah" was turned down by the Royal Academy, much to Leighton's distress, so he instead submitted it to the Royal Society for exhibition. A year later, he returned to London, wishing to establish better contacts with his fellow British artists, and settled at No. 2 Orme Square, Bayswater, which served as both his residence and his studio. At this time the artist painted many portraits, which weren't his favorite subject, but were in very high demand.
This reception caused Leighton to redouble his efforts and the following year saw a whole seven of his paintings on display at the Royal Academy, including "The Star of Bethlehem" (1862), "The Sisters" (1862), "Michael Angelo nursing his dying Servant" (1862), and "The Odalisque" (1862), which garnered much attention and many requests for copies.
In 1864, Leighton was elected Associate of the Royal Academy. However, his contribution of "Dante in Exile", sometimes called his second great masterpiece, as well as "Orpheus and Eurydice", and "Golden Hours to the Academy" that year finally secured him the honor.
With this and further exhibitions at the Royal Academy, Leighton's fame only grew, as did his many circles of friends, acquaintances and clientele, until he found his residence too small to properly practice his art and entertain his numerous guests. No house was to his liking, however, so in 1865 he purchased a plot of land on Holland Park Road, Kensington, where he intended to build his new home.
The following year was a busy one for Leighton. He visited Spain and helped to redecorate the Parish Church in Lyndhurst, Hampshire, with a mural behind the altar, entitled "The Five Wise and Five Foolish Virgins." As usual, he made his yearly contributions to the Academy, amongst which was a highly successful painting, which reportedly helped win his election to Royal Academician: "The Syracusan Bride leading Wild Beasts in Procession to the Temple of Diana" (1866). The winter of 1867 - 1868 was spent abroad, visiting Greece, Anatolia, and Palestine, away from the miserable weather back home. Upon his return he gained the status of Royal Academician, something very sought-after by the artist, as he believed it gave him the legitimacy to try and revitalize the artistic outlook of his home country.
The following years were perhaps the peak of both Leighton's fame and his productivity as an artist. Upon his return to England in the winter of 1870, Leighton put great effort into the first ever Winter Exhibition at Burlington House, London. Throughout this time and into 1871, Leighton also did his best to help many of his Parisian artist friends. France's loss in the Franco-German War had driven them to London, and it was thanks to their connection with Leighton that many found employment, some quite successfully. The winter of 1872 - 1873 was spent in Syria, largely in pursuit of antiques as well as the study of ancient architecture. In 1873, Leighton was elected Corresponding Member by the Académie des Beaux Arts, in recognition of the work he'd done during his stay in Paris, as well as his lifetime accomplishments.
In 1876, the artist produced "The Daphnephoria" for one of his clients, sometimes considered to be his greatest masterpiece. This period was most testing for Leighton, though he did his best to keep up. This was also the year that Leighton finished his famous clay sculpture, "The Athlete Struggling with a Python", which he exhibited at the Academy in 1877. His achievements led to his being named Fellow of Trinity College in London.
The period 1878 - 1879 saw Leighton being showered with honors. At the start of the year he was appointed President of the Jury on Paintings for the International Exhibition being held in Paris. He also participated at the exhibition with paintings of his own, submitting "Elijah in the Wilderness" (1878) and "Music Lesson" (1878). Several months hence he became President of the Royal Academy, a position which included customary knighthood, and consequently saw him elected Honorary Member of the Royal Academies of Scotland and Ireland, and Honorary Associate of the Institut de France. He was then also awarded Officier de la Légion d'Honneur and awarded a first class medal for sculpture. Even so, this was only the beginning of the awards and titles he'd receive in the upcoming decade.
Between then and until 1886, Leighton enjoyed some quiet years, barring a lunette fresco he painted at London's Victoria and Albert Museum, "Industrial Arts as Applied to Peace" (1883), which reportedly gave the artist much grief before he was done with it. In 1886 he received the title of baronetcy from the English Crown, for his achievements and influence in society. The following year he was commissioned by the Queen to help design the Golden Jubilee Medal for the 50th celebration of her reign, on which he and his assistant worked for over eighteen hours straight before achieving a desirable result.
While the baronetcy was the highest honor he received during this decade, it was not the only one by a long shot. The German Emperor bestowed upon him the title of Knight of the Order of Art and Science, while Belgium and Coburg granted him knighthoods. In France he received a gold medal at the Exposition de la Peinture, Grand Prix pour le Sculpture-Salon, and named Chairman of the Board of Fine Arts (President du Conseil des Beaux Arts) and Commandeur de la Légion d'Honneur.
In his last years, Leighton found himself spending more and more time outside his studio, involved as he was with society at large. This was compounded by his failing health, with ever more frequent, and ever more severe bouts of chest pain plaguing him through the winter of 1894 - 1895 and onward. Still, he refused to be overcome by these discomforts and continued to be a prolific artist, producing many notable paintings, including "The Spirit of the Summit" (1894), "The Maid with the Golden Hair" (1895), and "Perseus on Pegasus Hastening to the Rescue of Andromeda" (1895 - 1896).
The spring of 1895 found Leighton finally too ill to resume his Presidential duties at the Academy, and he was ordered by his doctor to take some time off in Algiers. Before leaving, he left his resignation up to his fellow staff members, though they refused the proposition in the hopes that he would continue his work upon his return. Sadly, while his trip around the Mediterranean did alleviate his condition, it proved to be too little, too late. Perhaps feeling that the end was at hand, Leighton paid an autumnal visit to Italy instead of his habitual winter stay there, wishing to spend his last days in England.
At the New Year's celebration, Queen Victoria presented Leighton with a Barony. This caused the artist some trouble, for he was now expected to pick out a title by which to call himself, eventually choosing Baron Leighton of Stretton, in the County of Shropshire. Unfortunately, his new title was announced the day before his death, so he never took his seat in the House of Lords.
By all accounts, Leighton bore his illness surprisingly well in social situations, never letting his discomfort show when entertaining guests, even towards the very end when his angina was a source of constant pain. However, no longer in any condition for public appearances, he spent much of his time alone in his studio, working at his art. Finally, he was taken ill a final time on the night of January 23, 1896. After lingering for a day, Lord Leighton breathed his last words, "Give my love to the Academy", before succumbing to his illness on January 25, 1896. He was buried in the crypt of St Paul's Cathedral.
Achievements
An incredibly prolific painter, Frederic Leighton left behind hundreds of works and, defying critics, established new fashions in the art of the time. He eventually rose to the position of President of the Royal Academy of Art, which he used to promote an artistic renaissance in Great Britain. Leighton was knighted at Windsor in 1878 and was created a baronet, of Holland Park Road in the Parish of St Mary Abbots, Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, eight years later.
Cimabue's Celebrated Madonna is carried in Procession through the Streets of Florence
The Painter's Honeymoon
Idyll
Samson
Pavonia
Perseus On Pegasus Hastening To the Rescue of Andromeda
Flaming June
Clytie
Nausicaa
The Sluggard
Psamathe
The White Feather Fan
Girl in Green
Venus Disrobing For The Bath
Hannah de Rothschild
Desdemona
Drapery. Study for The Last Watch of Hero.
Mrs. Ellinor Guthrie
A Girl
Greek Girl Dancing
The Syracusan Bride
Bacchante
Hercules Wrestling with Death for the Body of Alcestis
Study of a Lemon Tree
Perseus and Andromeda
The Maid with the Yellow Hair
Wedded
Greek Girls Playing at Ball
Study At a Reading Desk
Music Lesson
Portrait of a Lady
David
The Countess Brownlow
The Death of Brunelleschi
The Villa Malta, Rome
The Bath of Psyche
Gulnihal
Self-portrait
Joseph
Orpheus and Euridice
Portrait of a child
Invocation
Erotic image
Charity of St. Elizabeth of Hungary
Phoebe
The Golden Hours
An athlete wrestling with a python
And the sea gave up
Teresina
The Garden of the Hesperides
Cartoon for the fresco "The Arts of Industry as Applied to War"
A sacrifice to the Graces
A Roman Lady
Songs without Words
Winding the Skein
Jezebel and Ahab Met by Elijah
The Antique Juggling Girl
Greek Girls Picking up Pebbles
A Girl Feeding Peacocks
Drapery. Study for The Last Watch of Hero.
Elijah in the Wilderness
Odalisque
The Fisherman and the Syren.
Lachrymae
The Reconciliation of the Montagues and Capulets
Actaea, the Nymph of the Shore
Helen on the Walls of Troy
Old Damascus
The Head Of A Girl
Illustrations from Volume 1 of "The Yellow Book"
A Bather
A Nile Woman
Captive Andromache
Antigone
Sisters
Richard Burton painted by Frederic Leighton
The Reconciliation of the Montagues and Capulets
An athlete wrestling with a python
Lady in a Garden
Solitude
Ida Adrian and Frederic Marryat
Light of the Harem
Icarus and Daedalus
An Italian Lady
Portrait of May Sartoris
The Daphnephoria
Self portrait as a boy
A Girl with a Basket of Fruit
Courtyard of a Mosque at Broussa
Sibyl
Moses views the Promised Land
Religion
Frederic Leighton was a sympathetic friend to the Jewish community in England.
Views
Frederic Leighton was in favor of women being admitted to the ranks of Academicians and Associates.
Quotations:
"Thank goodness I was never clever at anything."
Membership
In 1869 Frederic Leighton was made a member of the Royal Academy and in 1878 its president. Frederick Leighton was also a prominent member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.
Personality
Frederic Leighton was a non-smoker and non-drinker. He was also an excellent pianist and singer. Leighton could speak French, German, Italian, and Spanish.
Connections
Leighton remained a bachelor and rumors of his having an illegitimate child with one of his models in addition to the supposition that Leighton may have been homosexual continue to be debated today. He certainly enjoyed an intense and romantically tinged relationship with the poet Henry William Greville whom he met in Florence in 1856.
