Frederic Lord Leighton An Illustrated Record of His Life and Work   By: Ernest Rhys (1859-1946)

Late President of the Royal Academy of Arts

An Illustrated Record of His Life and Work

by

ERNEST RHYS

[Illustration: Winding the Skein. By permission of the Fine Art Society. F. Leighton. pinxt. Swan Electric Engraving Co. Sc. ]

George Bell & Sons

London: George Bell & Sons 1900

First Published, super royal, 4to, 1895. Second Edition, revised, colombier 8vo, 1898. Third Edition, revised, crown 8vo, 1900.

Publishers' Note to Third Edition

The reception given to previous editions of this work encourages the publishers to hope that a re issue in a smaller form may be appreciated. The present volume is reprinted with a few alterations and corrections from the second edition published in 1898. A chapter on "Lord Leighton's House in 1900," by Mr. S. Pepys Cockerell, has been added.

The publishers take the opportunity to repeat their acknowledgments of assistance most kindly given by numerous owners and admirers of the artist's work. By the gracious consent of H.M. the Queen, the Cimabue in the Buckingham Palace collection, is here reproduced. Especial thanks are also due to Lord Davey, Lord Hillingdon, Lord Rosebery, Mrs. Dyson Perrins, the late Mr. Alfred Morrison, Sir Bernhard Samuelson, Lady Hallé, Mr. Alex. Henderson, Mr. Francis Reckitts, the late Sir Henry Tate, the Birmingham and Manchester Corporations, and the President and Council of the Royal Academy, who have kindly permitted the reproduction of pictures in their possession. To the late Lord Leighton himself the author and publishers have to acknowledge their indebtedness for a large number of studies and sketches, hitherto unpublished, as well as for his kind co operation in the preparation of the volume. The author wishes also to record his thanks to Mr. M. H. Spielmann for permission to use his admirable account of the President's method of painting.

By arrangement with the holders of several important copyrights, including Messrs. Thos. Agnew and Sons, P. and D. Colnaghi and Co., H. Graves and Co., Arthur Tooth and Sons, the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, the proprietors of the Art Journal, the Berlin Photographic Company, and the Fine Art Society (whose courtesies in the matter are duly credited in the list of illustrations), the publishers have been enabled to represent many of the most popular paintings by the artist, and a selection of his famous designs for Dalziel's Bible Gallery.

Contents

PAGE

CHAPTER I. HIS EARLY YEARS 3

II. YEAR BY YEAR 1855 TO 1864 12

III. YEAR BY YEAR 1864 TO 1869 21

IV. YEAR BY YEAR 1870 TO 1878 28

V. YEAR BY YEAR 1878 TO 1896 39

VI. HIS METHOD OF PAINTING 54

VII. MURAL DECORATION, SCULPTURE, AND ILLUSTRATION 61

VIII. DISCOURSES ON ART 71

IX. LORD LEIGHTON'S HOME 88

X. LORD LEIGHTON'S HOUSE IN 1900. BY S. PEPYS COCKERELL 92

XI. THE ARTIST AND HIS CRITICS 103

XII. CONCLUSION 115

APPENDIX I. CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF WORKS 121

II. LIST OF LANDSCAPES AND STUDIES SOLD AT CHRISTIE'S (JULY, 1896) 132

INDEX 137

List of Illustrations

I. FIGURE SUBJECTS.

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