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Contents
1 - Biography
2 - Leighton - The Man
3 - Leighton - President of the Royal Academy
4 - Leighton & Millais
5 - Leighton - The Honours
6 - Miscellaneous Facts
7 - Conclusions
8 - Contemporary Comment
9 - Obituary
10 - Reading
Biography
Frederic
Leighton was born on the 31st December 1830 in
Scarborough, Yorkshire, a town this writer has known and liked
all his life. He was the son of a medical man Frederic
Septimus Leighton (1799-1892), and his wife Augusta Susan
Nash, daughter George Augustus Nash of Edinburgh. His paternal
grandfather was Sir James Boniface Leighton (1769-1843), who
had been physician to two Tsars of Russia, Alexander 1, and
Nicholas1. Alexandra Leighton, the elder sister of Frederic,
was the goddaughter of the Tsarina of the same name. The
Russian Imperial connections of James Leighton had made him
financially independent, and on his death his son inherited
this fortunate position.
Frederic
Septimus then promptly retired, due some reports say to his
increasing deafness, and others due to the delicate health of
his wife. The Leighton family then embarked on a peripatetic
life around Europe lasting almost twenty years. Initially they
stayed in Paris, then moved to Germany, followed by Italy.
Leighton, throughout his life, like that other cosmopolitan
artist J W Waterhouse, loved, and was influenced by Italian
art and culture. Young Leighton was a natural linguist, and
was soon fluent in French, German, and Italian. In 1842, he
enrolled in the Berlin Academy of Art, having been economical
with the truth about his age. He followed this with a period
of artistic instruction in Frankfurt.
The
family then moved to Florence, where young Leighton-it seems
odd to call him Fred-had further artistic tuition, and
doubtless was fascinated by the artistic greatness around him.
He received instruction from, amongst others, Servolini, and
the American sculptor Hiram Powers. Powers it was who famously
on being asked by Leighton senior if his son should become an
artist, replied “that Nature had made him one already”,
adding he may “go as far as he wishes." It is interesting to
speculate if Leighton’s own interest in sculpture as a tool
in the preparation of his paintings, and as an artistic end in
itself, was a result of his relationship with Powers. The move
to Italy had been prompted by the political instability in the
German states in the mid 1840s, the situation which also
caused the emigration of the parents of Hubert Herkomer. In
1849, the Leighton family felt the social unrest had subsided
sufficiently to allow them to return to Frankfurt. Here the
young artist embarked on three years rigorous study under the
guidance of Johan Edward Steinle (1810-1886). He benefited
from both the stability of this time, and the instruction from
Steinle, whom he always referred to afterwards as his master,
and who remained his confidant until his death.
In
1851, the Leighton family returned to London, and, visited
that seminal Victorian event The Great Exhibition in Hyde
Park. The Leighton parents must have felt the need for a base
in England, because they bought a house in Bath. Young Fred,
then twenty-one years old, was by now sufficiently
independent, to return to Italy on his own. Initially he
stayed in Rome, where it seems he was not happy. It was at
this time that he met Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning,
who became lifelong friends, and even more importantly
Adelaide Sartoris an attractive sophisticated older woman who
became his greatest friend and mentor. Leighton became part of
an extensive artistic circle, including Thackeray (William
Makepiece Thackeray 1811-1863 novelist and satirist), George
Sand (nom de plume of Armandine Lucile Aurore Dupin 1804-1878
pioneer feminist, writer, and mistress of Chopin), George
Hemming Mason (1818-1872 landscape painter), Mrs Kemble,
Gerome(1824-1904 historical genre painter), and Bouguereau
( Adolphe Wiilliam Bouguereau 1825-1905 the great
nineteenth century French painter, and opponent of
Impressionism).
It
was at this time that Leighton started work on his famous
picture “Cimbue’s Celebrated Madonna,” which first
brought him to the attention of the art-loving public. It also
showed many characteristics of his art which persisted until
the end of his life. The picture was meticulously planned,
highly finished, skillfully painted, showed great talent in
composition, and was very static. It was shown at the RA
exhibition in 1855, when concern about its size was expressed
by the Hanging Committee-it is over 17 feet long (520.5 cm).
It was bought by Queen Victoria, at the prompting of Prince
Albert, for 600 guineas making an auspicious start to the
painter’s career. Leighton did not regard the Queen’s
purchase in an entirely favourable light, feeling that it
would provoke a reaction from the critics, and he was proved
right. The following year his exhibits at the Academy
exhibition received a severe mauling from the art press, and
for a few years he was unable to repeat his initial success.
In 1858 Leighton showed “The Fisherman and the Syren” This
painting is another expression of the femme fatale theme found
so compelling by nineteenth century English artists. It is
notable for another reason. It is the only Leighton nude I
have seen which could be described as erotic. The Syren is
beautiful, with glowing flesh tones and a very sexy figure-to
lapse in to modern day vernacular. The painting is in Bristol
City Art Gallery.
In
1861 Elizabeth Barrett Browning died at her home in Florence,
to the great distress of her famous husband who asked Leighton
to design her tomb, in the Cimiterio Accatolico. It is very
handsome monument to a great human being. Should any of our
visitors wish to have a look at it, the tomb may be seen on www.findagrave.com
In
the early 1860s Leighton met Ruskin, and G F Watts who painted
his portrait on a number of occasions, less than convincingly
I think-than the artists’ self-portrait in the Uffizi
Gallery which is much superior. This I find surprising as, for
instance, Watt’s portrait of Edward Burne-Jones is superb.
Watts and Leighton became close friends, and remained so until
the latter’s death. At this time the painter, as well as
keeping up his busy working life, travelled extensively in
Europe and the Near East, mainly alone, but sometimes with
Adelaide Sartoris. In 1864 he became Associate of the Royal
Academy. Two years later Leighton moved from his previous
residence at 2 Orme Square, Bayswater, to Leighton House,
which was designed for him by George Aitcheson RA, though the
artist himself supervised the construction of the house.
Some
of the pictures he painted in the 1860s are amongst the most
accomplished things he did, for instance the smaller
decorative ones, like the “Odalisque”, In 1868 Leighton
made a further visit to Egypt, followed by a tour of the
country in the company of Ferdinand de Lesseps (1805-1894) the
originator, and the prime mover in the construction of the
Suez Canal. In 1870 the Winter Exhibitions of Old Masters
commenced at the Royal Academy mainly at the instigation of
Leighton. Throughout the 1870s Leighton continued to work
relentlessly, and to live an extremely active life. In 1873
he, once more, traveled to Egypt, and, perhaps as a result of
this, there followed a number of Orientally-inspired pictures,
including “The Egyptian Slinger” and
“The Moorish Garden”. He had also collected some
Persian tiles, which were the inspiration for the famous Arab
Hall at Leighton House.
In
1878, Sir Francis Grant, the President of the Royal Academy,
and emphatically not an admirer of our man died. Frederic
Leighton, aided amongst others by his friend the Prince of
Wales, was elected the new President, a role he was to hold
for the next eighteen years. In 1879 Adelaide Sartoris died, a
considerable blow for the artist, but she had lived to see
here protégé achieve the leading role in English art. In the
early 1880s the painter met Ada Alice Pullen, a cockney girl
who was attempting to support herself and her younger sisters
by working as an artists’ model. Leighton was very fond of
Dorothy Dene the (stage name of Ada Pullen), and painted many
pictures using her as his model throughout the 1880s. Her
sisters Edith Ellen, Henrietta Sarah (Hetty), and Isabell
Helena (Lena), also sat to him. Dorothy had aspirations to a
career as an actress, which the painter did his best to
assist, but she was not successful. Leighton used to visit
these pretty, vivacious sisters in their small home, and this
must have provided a welcome relief from his classical
paintings, ceremonial and administrative duties the RA, and
high profile social life. George Bernard Shaw knew the artist
and his favourite model, and there has been speculation that
they provided the inspiration for Professor Higgins and Eliza
Doolittle in Pygmalion.
From the early 1890s Leighton’s health gradually
started to decline, though his artistic standards did not
deteriorate. His father 1892 died in his ninety third year. In
truth the PRA had travelled, painted, worked and lived at a
frenetic pace for many years, and was now having to pay the
price for a life lived in such a way. At the beginning of
1895, his health deteriorated further, and the heart condition
angina was diagnosed. A restful holiday in a warm climate was
the treatment recommended by his doctors. In the absence of
the President his duties were assumed by his old friend Sir
John Millais, unhappily himself no longer enjoying the robust
health which had been such a feature of his life. Leighton
was, unfortunately, chronically hyper-active and unable to
live life at a slower pace. In the Summer he returned to
London and his duties at Burlington House. In the early
Autumn, he set off on his travels again, going first to
Worcester, where he stayed for a few days, then taking the
ferry to Ireland. From Dublin he went to Killarney, and then
up the West Coast to Donegal. This does not sound very restful
to me. It is also to be remembered that he took the tools of
his profession with him, and in 1998, an oil sketch of a
“Head of a Girl” painted during this holiday was sold at
Sotheby’s. I say a sketch, but it is an exuberant production
of a talented artist enjoying the handling of paint.
On
January 1st 1896, it was announced that Sir
Frederic Leighton was to be ennobled as Baron Leighton of
Stretton. His patent bore the date January 24th,
and on the afternoon of Saturday 25th January he
died at Leighton House after a few days of extreme pain and
distress which had ultimately made the use of Morphine
necessary. He was, therefore, only a peer for one day. With
him at the end were his sisters Alexandra, Mrs Orr Sutherland,
and Augusta Mrs Matthews, as well as his great friend Val
Prinsep RA.
Leighton
- The Man
Frederic Leighton was one of the great Victorians, more
so than any other artist. He was immensely industrious, he was
a skilled painter, he was a sculptor, and he was a linguist,
who spoke at least five languages fluently. Underneath the
suave assured exterior dwelt a rather nervous, insecure,
being. He was a very solitary man. His friend the Prince of
Wales described him as “touchy.” His father had not been
sympathetic, and withheld approval of his distinguished
son’s considerable achievements. Perhaps this is an
explanation of his relentless addiction to work. It made him,
though, very sympathetic and supportive of young artists, whom
he often helped financially out of his own pocket. He gave to
others the approval and encouragement that had been denied to
him. Leighton was a skilled manager and was, for instance
heavily involved in the construction and planning of Leighton
House. His expertise and shrewdness in the management of his
finances had made him independent early in his career. He was
also very good-looking, immaculately tailored, and of course
highly successful. Such a man cannot be universally liked, and
thus it was with Leighton-Sir Francis Grant loathed him, and
George du Maurier heartily disliked him. But considering his
pre-eminence he did not have many enemies, and his kindness
and generosity of spirit was widely recognised.
Leighton
- President of the Royal Academy
There is an old adage “Cometh the hour, cometh the
man” which could have been written about Leighton in this
context. He was the President of the RA at its zenith, the
twenty years or so when art had an importance and prestige in
national life it had never enjoyed before, and has never
enjoyed since. The artist, with his patrician looks and
splendid presence, was ideally fitted for the ceremonial
aspect of this role. Functionally he was highly competent. A
piece written shortly after his death states that he was
punctual, almost to a fault, tactful, energetic, and socially
adept. He was also highly principled, and scrupulously fair.
It is well-known that he had great personal sympathy and
respect for the work of Albert Joseph Moore and felt that his
exclusion from the RA was a great mistake, but his position as
PRA made it impossible for him to give Moore the endorsement
to assist him.
Leighton
was also a good administrator, and skilled financial manager.
He was a zealous representative of the RA and its interests.
He delivered eight biennial addresses to students between 1879
and one 1893, about the history, background, and practice of
their craft. I do not doubt that these addresses would be very
ornate and verbose by the standards of our time, but they will
have required an enormous amount of work, and, incidentally,
have been fundamentally wise and instructive.
It is interesting to note that Edward Poynter, who
worked with him for many years at the Academy, hero-worshipped
him.
Leighton
and Millais
When William Thackeray, met the young Fred Leighton in
Rome in 1851, he sent a highly prophetic letter to Millais in
which he wrote that “I have met in Rome a versatile young
dog who will run you hard for the presidentship one day.”
In
the event, as history shows us, not only did he run Millais
close, he outran him altogether. Yet Millais, the older man by
a year, who had established himself as a leading artist before
Leighton, did not, throughout the latter’s eighteen years
as President show any resentment, referring to him as a
“dear good fellow.” I have found this intriguing for a
considerable time now, and attempt to offer some explanation
for it.
Millais was a craftsman and not an intellectual, and
was, I suspect, well aware of this. He would not have had the
administrative skills to have done such a competent job in the
role of PRA. I do not think that he would have relished the
committee work, and the need to act as a politician. He was a
direct, blunt, and breezy Englishman (though in reality more
French!). His habit of taking three-month holidays in the
Autumn in Scotland, would have been restricted by his duties
as President. Millais was also one of the most successful
portrait painters of the day, and earned very large sums of
money as a result. Yet again duties at the RA would have
restricted his freedom.
When, eventually, following the death
of Leighton, Millais became PRA, he was already terminally
ill, and for a few short months acted as a figurehead. His
election was a tribute, by the Academicians to a popular man
and a great artistic career. I suspect that John Everett
Millais was very grateful, that Leighton beat him to the
position of President of the Royal Academy.
SOME
HONOURS CONFERRED ON LEIGHTON
Leighton
was knighted in 1878 on his appointment as President of the
Royal Academy. He was then created a baronet in 1886. NB. A
baronet is a knight whose title is hereditary. I recently read
of a Leighton painting of considerable value found in the
United States. It was badly in need of cleaning, and the
American family who owned it could just make out the signature
Bart, which not unreasonably, they thought was the name of the
painter. In fact the signature will show, when cleaned, F
Leighton Bart, as Bart is a shortened version of baronet. He
was also President of the international jury of painting for
the Paris Exhibition of 1878. He was Honorary LLD of Cambridge
University, DCL Oxford, LLD Edinburgh all in 1879. Leighton
was an honorary member of too many foreign art bodies to
mention here.
MISCELLANEOUS
INFORMATION ABOUT LORD LEIGHTON
The
Leighton family originated in Shropshire.
He was a
non-smoker and non-drinker.
His
studio sale was held in July 1896, and there was considerable
competition for his landscape studies, amongst other things.
His elder
sister Mrs Alexandra Orr Sutherland (1828-1903), was a
considerable intellectual in her own right, and wrote and
edited the Life and Letters of Robert Browning.
He was a
sympathetic friend to the Jewish community in England.
He was an
excellent pianist and singer.
He was in
favour of women being admitted to the ranks of Academicians
and Associates.
Conclusions
Leighton himself did not think that he was a great
painter. He said “Thank goodness I was never clever at
anything.” He may or may not have been a great painter, but
he was extremely clever at most things. Leighton was a creator
of beautiful pictures, some of them, for instance “Flaming
June” masterpieces, and among the most memorable images of
the nineteenth century. His smaller decorative works of the
1860s which he regarded as unimportant, were often
immaculately painted, and very beautiful.
Throughout
his career he produced many small pictures of the heads of
young women, which bring high prices today, and deservedly so.
He was a portrait painter of outstanding gifts, his picture of
Sir Richard Burton coming immediately to mind. The large
classical paintings which he himself would have regarded as
the very core of his achievement are sometime less successful,
but two of them “And The Sea Gave Up the Dead Which Were In
It” and “The
Garden of The Hesperides” are masterpieces. His gorgeous
picture “Mother and Child” gives the lie to the belief
that he was unable to express emotion and tenderness in his
paintings. He was, I think, the ultimate Renaissance man. With
his intelligence, principles, and capacity for hard work, he
would have been a great success in any area of public life.
Frederic Leighton, Prime Minister, does not stretch the
imagination.
Frederic
Leighton as well as being the leading figure in English art in
the second half of the nineteenth century was one of the
greatest Englishmen of his time.
Contemporary Comment
Obituary
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