The art of Frederic Leighton met a huge success in his time. He was only 25 when Queen Victoria purchased a first painting. He is still now the only artist who was appointed a Lord but his non hereditary barony allocated in 1896 is the most ephemeral in English history : he died of a heart attack on the next day.
His career is glorious but his life is controversial. This keen traveler is clearly not interested in the English culture. He chooses his themes from mythology to prevent and possibly even push away the religion. He never communicates on his personal life and does not marry but he knows how to communicate enthusiasm in his teaching.
For thirty years from 1864 Leighton built a fantastic house to shelter his collections which will be dispersed by Christie's in 1896 through nine consecutive days of sales. Within this group his collection of Iznik ceramics was exceptional.
Leighton believes that art should bring a depth of thought rather than emotion or virtuosity. His colors are bright but his line is too sharp and the next century will forget him. He is the friend of the pre-Raphaelites who come in his salon to chat and drink brandy.
Leighton admires Cimabue, Giorgione and Titian. In 1864 he sought for the Golden Age in the Italian past which he links with the arts. To stand him aside from the pre-Raphaelites, his trend is called Aestheticism. The Painter's Honeymoon shows a newlywed couple in Venetian cloth. The young woman is leaning to better follow the movement of the artist's hand.
The same couple comes back in Golden Hours. The woman is seen from behind. Elbows on the piano, she observes the man who is playing. As in the Honeymoon, the hand has the essential role of creating or transmitting art that itself transcends time. Golden Hours, oil on canvas 80 x 125 cm, is estimated £ 3M for sale by Christie's in London on June 30, lot 4.
Please watch the video shared by Christie's.
SOLD for £ 3.3M including premium
His career is glorious but his life is controversial. This keen traveler is clearly not interested in the English culture. He chooses his themes from mythology to prevent and possibly even push away the religion. He never communicates on his personal life and does not marry but he knows how to communicate enthusiasm in his teaching.
For thirty years from 1864 Leighton built a fantastic house to shelter his collections which will be dispersed by Christie's in 1896 through nine consecutive days of sales. Within this group his collection of Iznik ceramics was exceptional.
Leighton believes that art should bring a depth of thought rather than emotion or virtuosity. His colors are bright but his line is too sharp and the next century will forget him. He is the friend of the pre-Raphaelites who come in his salon to chat and drink brandy.
Leighton admires Cimabue, Giorgione and Titian. In 1864 he sought for the Golden Age in the Italian past which he links with the arts. To stand him aside from the pre-Raphaelites, his trend is called Aestheticism. The Painter's Honeymoon shows a newlywed couple in Venetian cloth. The young woman is leaning to better follow the movement of the artist's hand.
The same couple comes back in Golden Hours. The woman is seen from behind. Elbows on the piano, she observes the man who is playing. As in the Honeymoon, the hand has the essential role of creating or transmitting art that itself transcends time. Golden Hours, oil on canvas 80 x 125 cm, is estimated £ 3M for sale by Christie's in London on June 30, lot 4.
Please watch the video shared by Christie's.
SOLD for £ 3.3M including premium
Our #Christies250 celebration launches in June with Defining British Art sale + exhibition https://t.co/BKywYSQhLz pic.twitter.com/gNsXyp4U3w
— Christie's (@ChristiesInc) April 28, 2016
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