Light eroticism and mesmerizing sentimentalism: Pictures of Frederick Leighton, who was Lord for one day

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Frederick Leighton - the first baron of the Royal Academy of Arts in Great Britain, a famous English painter and sculptor who worked in the second half of the 19th century. For his labors he was deeply revered by Queen Victoria of England and was awarded the title of Lord by her decree. True, the artist had to live in this status for only one day … But for the second century already his magnificent creations excite the minds and make the hearts of the audience tremble.

Leighton Frederick (Frederick Leighton) (1830-1896) was born in 1830 in Yorkshire in Great Britain in the family of a hereditary doctor. His grandfather, Sir James Leighton, was a court physician for two Russian emperors, Alexander I and Nicholas I. Service at the Russian court allowed James Leighton to amass a considerable fortune, which after his death was inherited by his son, Frederick's father. And the artist's elder sister, Alexandra Leighton, was the goddaughter of the Russian Empress Alexandra.

In childhood, the future artist had a chance to travel a lot across European countries. And while still a 10-year-old teenager, Leighton became seriously interested in painting, especially he was attracted by the Italian school of fine arts.

Frederick Leighton happened to live and create during the reign of Queen Victoria and, when he was twenty-five, the young artist first exhibited his works at the Royal Academy of Arts and received an award for one of the paintings, a little later acquired by the Queen.

At the beginning of his creative career, Leighton painted canvases on biblical, historical and mythological themes, which brought him fame and the title of academician of the Royal Academy of Arts, and at 38, Frederick was already its president. At the same time he was granted the nobility, and at sixty-five - the title of baron.

The day before his death in 1896, the artist was awarded the title of lord. But unfortunately, only for one day he had the honor of wearing this title, which for the first time in the history of Great Britain was awarded to an artist. His patent is dated January 24, and on Saturday afternoon, January 25, he died at his estate, exhausted from severe pain and suffering. His last days were so painful that the doctors were forced to use morphine.

The creative heritage of the painter

The canvas that brought the artist his first fame and first money was Cimabues Celebrated Madonna. It was exhibited at the Academy of Arts, and its dimensions were so impressive that the organizers of the exhibition were confused when placing a work more than five meters long. It was then acquired by Queen Victoria for her apartments for 600 guineas, which was a very auspicious start to the artist's creative career.

Many works were created by the painter, touching upon the plots of world literature, ancient Greek myths and historical events. As a rule, these works are very large in size and look very pompous. But Leighton also has amazing sentimental creations, saturated with sensuality and tenderness.

The heroines of such Leighton's canvases were mostly beautiful women in the role of antique half-dressed divas, and sometimes completely naked. Paintings with a light touch of eroticism and sentimentalism have earned the master immense popularity and fame. It is worth noting that even the sketches of the talented artist were so perfect that they were equated with completed works.

In 1858, Leighton completed work on the painting "The Fisherman and the Siren", where he vividly reflected the theme of femme fatale, which was popular among English painters of the nineteenth century. Also, it should be noted and the eroticism of this creation, where Sirena, with a beautiful young body, looks very seductive.

The painting "Flaming June" was painted by a mature artist a year before his death. It has nothing to do with either mythological or biblical themes. Frederick Leighton wrote it just for the sake of pleasure, having managed to capture the charm of a June day and the bliss of a beautiful woman. The actress Dorothy Denis posed as a model for the artist. She was also a model for some of the artist's other works.

Frederick Leighton's contemporary was an amazing master from France - Leon Basile Perrault, who wrote sentimental canvases dedicated to motherhood and childhood. His stunning work has been exhibited at the Paris Salon for forty years. The key to the artist's extraordinary success was his six children, who served as models and inspiration for his father.