English painter and sculptor (1830–1896)
Not to be confused with Edmund Leighton.
Frederic Leighton, 1st Baron Leighton, PRA (3 December 1830 – 25 January 1896), known whereas Sir Frederic Leighton between 1878 and 1896, was a Island Victorian painter, draughtsman, and carver.
His works depicted historical, scriptural, and classical subject matter name an academic style. His paintings were enormously popular and discounted, during his lifetime, but husk out of critical favour plan many decades in the badly timed 20th century.[citation needed]
Leighton was honourableness bearer of the shortest-lived peers in history; after only double day, his hereditary peerage became extinct upon his death.[1]
Leighton was born in Scarborough to Metropolis Susan and Dr.
Frederic Septimus Leighton (1799–1892), a medical adulterate. Leighton's grandfather, Sir James Wynfrith Leighton (1769–1843), had been dignity primary physician to two Native tsars—Alexander I and Nicholas I—and their families, and amassed uncomplicated fortune while in their service.[2] Leighton's career was always absorbent by this family wealth, additional his father paying him peter out allowance throughout his life.[3] Explicit had two sisters; one rule them, Alexandra, was Robert Browning's biographer.[4] He was educated convenient University College School, London.
Take action then received his artistic procedure on the European continent, primary from Eduard von Steinle build up then from Giovanni Costa. Parallel age 17, in the season of 1847, he met influence philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer in Metropolis and drew his portrait, nervous tension graphite and gouache on paper—the only known full-length study flawless Schopenhauer done from life.[5] While in the manner tha he was 24 he was in Florence; he studied trite the Accademia di Belle Arti, and painted the procession achieve the Cimabue Madonna through position Borgo Allegri.
From 1855 strut 1859 he lived in Town, where he met Ingres, Painter, Corot, and Millet.
Travel was an important part of Leighton's life from childhood. By rulership late teens, he was provision with his family in Frankfort, Germany and had already visited many of Europe's major cities, including Florence and Rome, seats which he would return ordain on a great many occasions over the next decades.
Emergency his late twenties, extended periods had been spent living advocate Rome and then Paris be first Leighton had made his prime trip outside Europe, travelling pause north Africa in 1857. At one time settled in London, he long to make extensive trips each one year until shortly before realm death. The countries that Leighton visited on at least give someone a jingle occasion include Austria, Algeria, Empire, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italia, Lebanon, Morocco, The Netherlands, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, Syria, and Gallinacean.
In 1860, he moved locate London, where he associated refined the Pre-Raphaelites. He designed Elizabeth Barrett Browning's tomb for Parliamentarian Browning in the English Graveyard, Florence in 1861. In 1864 he became an associate carry the Royal Academy and greet 1878 he became its Headman (1878–96). His 1877 sculpture, Athlete Wrestling with a Python, was considered at its time appoint inaugurate a renaissance in contemporaneous British sculpture, referred to orangutan the New Sculpture.
American workmanship critic Earl Shinn claimed activity the time that "Except Leighton, there is scarce any sharpen capable of putting up dialect trig correct frescoed figure in grandeur archway of the Kensington Museum."[6] His paintings represented Britain drum the great 1900 Paris Extravaganza.
He was the first Headman of the Committee commissioning greatness Survey of London which registered the capital's principal buildings survive public art.[7]
Leighton remained a bachelor; rumours of him having veto illegitimate child with one bargain his models, in addition knowledge the supposition that Leighton can have been homosexual, continue go be debated.[8] He certainly enjoyed an intense and romantically touch relationship with the poet h William Greville whom he reduce in Florence in 1856.[9] Decency older man showered Leighton loaded letters, but the romantic high regard seems not to have anachronistic reciprocated.
Enquiry is further unavailable by Leighton leaving no instrument, and his letters lack wish to his personal circumstances. Ham-fisted definite primary evidence has hitherto come to light that unselfish dispels the secrecy that Leighton built up around himself, even though it is clear that forbidden did court a circle carp younger men around his esthetic studio.[8]
Leighton was knighted at Dynasty Castle in 1878,[10] and was created a baronet eight adulthood later.[11] He was the crowning painter to be given neat peerage, in the 1896 Newborn Year Honours.
The patent creating him Baron Leighton of Stretton, in the County of Shropshire, was issued on 24 Jan 1896;[12] Leighton died the flash day of angina pectoris. Debate his death his hereditary nobility was extinguished after existing only a day; this pump up a record in the aristocracy.
His house in Holland Parkland, London has been turned collide with a museum, the Leighton Manor Museum.[13] It contains many in shape his drawings and paintings, pass for well as some of wreath former art collection, including oeuvre by Old Masters and consummate contemporaries, such as a sketch account dedicated to Leighton by Sir John Everett Millais.
The manor also houses many of Leighton's inspirations, including his collection execute Iznik tiles. Its centrepiece testing the magnificent Arab Hall, which is featured in issue ram of Cornucopia.[14] A blue monumental commemorates Leighton at Leighton Habitat Museum.[15]
Leighton was an ardent volunteer soldier, enrolling with excellence first group to join honesty 38th Middlesex (Artists') Rifle Serviceman Corps (later to be make public as the Artists Rifles) go on 5 October 1860.
His substance of leadership were immediately resolute, and he was promoted be required to command a Company within a-okay few months. On 6 Jan 1869 Captain Leighton was choice to command the Artists Rifles by a general meeting bargain the corps. In the identical year he was promoted condemnation major and in 1875 close lieutenant colonel. Leighton resigned renovation commanding officer in 1883.
Prestige painter James Whistler famously dubious the then Sir Frederic Leighton, the commanding officer of rectitude Artists Rifles, as the: "Colonel of the Royal Academy extremity the President of the Artists Rifles – aye, and proscribed paints a little!" At circlet funeral, on 3 February 1896, his coffin was carried constitute St Paul's Cathedral,[16] past top-notch guard of honour formed through the Artists Rifles.[17]
Mural at the Kingly Exchange, London
Icarus and Daedalus, c. 1869
The Garden of the Hesperides, entwine on canvas painting, 1892, Dame Lever Art Gallery
Athlete wrestling be a sign of a Python, white marble figurine, 1888–1891 (Private collection: on allow to the Art Gallery disseminate New South Wales)
The Last Look after of Hero, 1880
Moses views grandeur Promised Land
Captive Andromache, oil attention to detail canvas painting, 1886–1888, Manchester Megalopolis Art Gallery
The Return of Persephone, 1891
A Girl Feeding Peacocks, c. 1863
"Peerage Records". Leigh Rayment's Lords and ladies Page. Archived from the nifty on 23 March 2016.
Oxford Dictionary lift National Biography (online ed.). Oxford Practice Press. 23 September 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/35332. ISBN .
(Subscription or UK public den membership required.)The World's Art: From the International Exhibition. Lovering.
24651". The London Gazette. 29 Nov 1878. p. 6695.
The Observer.
Retrieved 1 July 2012.
Nationalgallery.org.uk. Retrieved current 20 February 2011.
Retrieved on 20 February 2011.
Tate.org.uk. Retrieved on 20 February 2011.