Leighton House reopens its doors
We take a look at the iconic museum following its £8 million refurbishment
November 9, 2022
Leighton House in Holland Park has just reopened its doors after an £8 million refurbishment and has already drawn in the TikTok and Instagram-ers with its promise of Moorish interiors in Central London. But who was Frederick Leighton (1830–1896) and why did he decorate his home in the style of an Arabian Palace?
Commonly associated with the Pre-Raphaelites, Leighton was a member of the Holland Park Circle, an informal group of 19th century artists, among them was William Burges, the designer of the gothic Tower House nearby which is now owned by Led Zeppelin founder Jimmy Page. Like many great artists in history Leighton’s career was made possible thanks to financial backing; his father was a doctor and his grandfather had been the physician to the Russian Imperial Family, who were big spenders. The fortune his grandfather had amassed provided Leighton with a substantial allowance for life - paid to him by his father - despite his parents being sceptical of his prospects. In 1879 Leighton wrote "My parents surrounded me with every facility to learn drawing, but strongly discountenanced the idea of my being an artist unless I could be eminent in art".
Despite being born in Scarborough, Leighton was raised abroad. He studied in Berlin, Florence, and Frankfurt and lived for a few years in Paris, instilling in him a taste for travel. Leighton returned to England in the 1860s and commissioned an architect he had befriended in Rome, George Aitchison, to build him a large house to act as a studio and home. The first stage was finished in 1866 but Leighton would devote the rest of his life to extending it and completing its decoration and embellishment. 'He built the house as it now stands for his own artistic delight. Every stone of it had been the object of his loving care. It was a joy to him until the moment when he lay down to die’ wrote Leighton’s sister in 1899.
Leighton would go on to be one of the most famous British artists of the Victorian age, establishing an international standing and reputation. In 1855 Queen Victoria bought one of his paintings cementing his social status. His charm and charisma along with his good looks and cosmopolitan nature meant he was all the rage among the upper echelons of Victorian society. He moved in the same circles as foreign dignitaries and the royal family, becoming the figurehead for the resurgence in popularity of British art on the continent.
Despite - and perhaps in spite of - his success Leighton received criticism for his continental manner. His manicured demeanour was noted by his contemporaries who questioned his “Britishness”. Leighton’s first biographer, who was also conveniently his neighbour, exposed the xenophobic and racist sentiments that were expressed freely in Victorian Britain. In her 1906 biography she describes how author and cartoonist George du Maurier was 'convinced that in Leighton existed indications of foreign or Jewish blood but was quite unable to discover any facts in support of this theory and was troubled on this point'. She also describes how ‘his rapid utterance, his picturesque gesture, his very appearance were not emphatically English. Certain Englishmen who knew Leighton felt out of sympathy with him for this reason and had difficulty in recognising him as one of themselves'.
His interest in classical art and that of the Renaissance may have raised some eyebrows. His sculptures ‘Athlete wrestling with a Python’ (1877) and ‘Sluggard’ (1885) are considered masterpieces of the period, epitomising an interest in the classical idealisation of the body, particularly the male body. Leighton remained a bachelor for life which roused suspicions over his sexuality, though there were equally rumours of him having relations with his models. It has been suggested that Professor Higgins in Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, popularised by the film My Fair Lady, was based on Leighton and his favourite model Dorothy Dene.
Leighton was fluent in four languages and travelled extensively in Southern Europe as well as North Africa and the Middle East. In 1857 he made his first trip to Africa, visiting Algeria and sparking his interest in oriental architecture and design, which would lead to the construction of the Arab Hall in 1877, an extension to the house inspired by a twelfth century Arab-Norman palace called La Zisa in Palermo, Sicily
The house has been a museum in memory of Leighton since 1898, administered by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The collections at the museum today represent items that were originally in Leighton's possession and that have been retrieved by the museum over the past century as well as loans from private donors. There are several paintings by members of the Holland Park Circle as well as the Pre-Raphaelites.
A Life of Drawing: Highlights from the Leighton House collection and Artists and Neighbours: The Holland Park Circle are both showing now at Leighton House. Visit now and check in on the gowithYamo app to claim 50 Yamos!
Leighton House in Holland Park has just reopened its doors after an £8 million refurbishment and has already drawn in the TikTok and Instagram-ers with its promise of Moorish interiors in Central London. But who was Frederick Leighton (1830–1896) and why did he decorate his home in the style of an Arabian Palace?
Commonly associated with the Pre-Raphaelites, Leighton was a member of the Holland Park Circle, an informal group of 19th century artists, among them was William Burges, the designer of the gothic Tower House nearby which is now owned by Led Zeppelin founder Jimmy Page. Like many great artists in history Leighton’s career was made possible thanks to financial backing; his father was a doctor and his grandfather had been the physician to the Russian Imperial Family, who were big spenders. The fortune his grandfather had amassed provided Leighton with a substantial allowance for life - paid to him by his father - despite his parents being sceptical of his prospects. In 1879 Leighton wrote "My parents surrounded me with every facility to learn drawing, but strongly discountenanced the idea of my being an artist unless I could be eminent in art".
Despite being born in Scarborough, Leighton was raised abroad. He studied in Berlin, Florence, and Frankfurt and lived for a few years in Paris, instilling in him a taste for travel. Leighton returned to England in the 1860s and commissioned an architect he had befriended in Rome, George Aitchison, to build him a large house to act as a studio and home. The first stage was finished in 1866 but Leighton would devote the rest of his life to extending it and completing its decoration and embellishment. 'He built the house as it now stands for his own artistic delight. Every stone of it had been the object of his loving care. It was a joy to him until the moment when he lay down to die’ wrote Leighton’s sister in 1899.
Leighton would go on to be one of the most famous British artists of the Victorian age, establishing an international standing and reputation. In 1855 Queen Victoria bought one of his paintings cementing his social status. His charm and charisma along with his good looks and cosmopolitan nature meant he was all the rage among the upper echelons of Victorian society. He moved in the same circles as foreign dignitaries and the royal family, becoming the figurehead for the resurgence in popularity of British art on the continent.
Despite - and perhaps in spite of - his success Leighton received criticism for his continental manner. His manicured demeanour was noted by his contemporaries who questioned his “Britishness”. Leighton’s first biographer, who was also conveniently his neighbour, exposed the xenophobic and racist sentiments that were expressed freely in Victorian Britain. In her 1906 biography she describes how author and cartoonist George du Maurier was 'convinced that in Leighton existed indications of foreign or Jewish blood but was quite unable to discover any facts in support of this theory and was troubled on this point'. She also describes how ‘his rapid utterance, his picturesque gesture, his very appearance were not emphatically English. Certain Englishmen who knew Leighton felt out of sympathy with him for this reason and had difficulty in recognising him as one of themselves'.
His interest in classical art and that of the Renaissance may have raised some eyebrows. His sculptures ‘Athlete wrestling with a Python’ (1877) and ‘Sluggard’ (1885) are considered masterpieces of the period, epitomising an interest in the classical idealisation of the body, particularly the male body. Leighton remained a bachelor for life which roused suspicions over his sexuality, though there were equally rumours of him having relations with his models. It has been suggested that Professor Higgins in Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, popularised by the film My Fair Lady, was based on Leighton and his favourite model Dorothy Dene.
Leighton was fluent in four languages and travelled extensively in Southern Europe as well as North Africa and the Middle East. In 1857 he made his first trip to Africa, visiting Algeria and sparking his interest in oriental architecture and design, which would lead to the construction of the Arab Hall in 1877, an extension to the house inspired by a twelfth century Arab-Norman palace called La Zisa in Palermo, Sicily
The house has been a museum in memory of Leighton since 1898, administered by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The collections at the museum today represent items that were originally in Leighton's possession and that have been retrieved by the museum over the past century as well as loans from private donors. There are several paintings by members of the Holland Park Circle as well as the Pre-Raphaelites.
A Life of Drawing: Highlights from the Leighton House collection and Artists and Neighbours: The Holland Park Circle are both showing now at Leighton House. Visit now and check in on the gowithYamo app to claim 50 Yamos!
Leighton House in Holland Park has just reopened its doors after an £8 million refurbishment and has already drawn in the TikTok and Instagram-ers with its promise of Moorish interiors in Central London. But who was Frederick Leighton (1830–1896) and why did he decorate his home in the style of an Arabian Palace?
Commonly associated with the Pre-Raphaelites, Leighton was a member of the Holland Park Circle, an informal group of 19th century artists, among them was William Burges, the designer of the gothic Tower House nearby which is now owned by Led Zeppelin founder Jimmy Page. Like many great artists in history Leighton’s career was made possible thanks to financial backing; his father was a doctor and his grandfather had been the physician to the Russian Imperial Family, who were big spenders. The fortune his grandfather had amassed provided Leighton with a substantial allowance for life - paid to him by his father - despite his parents being sceptical of his prospects. In 1879 Leighton wrote "My parents surrounded me with every facility to learn drawing, but strongly discountenanced the idea of my being an artist unless I could be eminent in art".
Despite being born in Scarborough, Leighton was raised abroad. He studied in Berlin, Florence, and Frankfurt and lived for a few years in Paris, instilling in him a taste for travel. Leighton returned to England in the 1860s and commissioned an architect he had befriended in Rome, George Aitchison, to build him a large house to act as a studio and home. The first stage was finished in 1866 but Leighton would devote the rest of his life to extending it and completing its decoration and embellishment. 'He built the house as it now stands for his own artistic delight. Every stone of it had been the object of his loving care. It was a joy to him until the moment when he lay down to die’ wrote Leighton’s sister in 1899.
Leighton would go on to be one of the most famous British artists of the Victorian age, establishing an international standing and reputation. In 1855 Queen Victoria bought one of his paintings cementing his social status. His charm and charisma along with his good looks and cosmopolitan nature meant he was all the rage among the upper echelons of Victorian society. He moved in the same circles as foreign dignitaries and the royal family, becoming the figurehead for the resurgence in popularity of British art on the continent.
Despite - and perhaps in spite of - his success Leighton received criticism for his continental manner. His manicured demeanour was noted by his contemporaries who questioned his “Britishness”. Leighton’s first biographer, who was also conveniently his neighbour, exposed the xenophobic and racist sentiments that were expressed freely in Victorian Britain. In her 1906 biography she describes how author and cartoonist George du Maurier was 'convinced that in Leighton existed indications of foreign or Jewish blood but was quite unable to discover any facts in support of this theory and was troubled on this point'. She also describes how ‘his rapid utterance, his picturesque gesture, his very appearance were not emphatically English. Certain Englishmen who knew Leighton felt out of sympathy with him for this reason and had difficulty in recognising him as one of themselves'.
His interest in classical art and that of the Renaissance may have raised some eyebrows. His sculptures ‘Athlete wrestling with a Python’ (1877) and ‘Sluggard’ (1885) are considered masterpieces of the period, epitomising an interest in the classical idealisation of the body, particularly the male body. Leighton remained a bachelor for life which roused suspicions over his sexuality, though there were equally rumours of him having relations with his models. It has been suggested that Professor Higgins in Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, popularised by the film My Fair Lady, was based on Leighton and his favourite model Dorothy Dene.
Leighton was fluent in four languages and travelled extensively in Southern Europe as well as North Africa and the Middle East. In 1857 he made his first trip to Africa, visiting Algeria and sparking his interest in oriental architecture and design, which would lead to the construction of the Arab Hall in 1877, an extension to the house inspired by a twelfth century Arab-Norman palace called La Zisa in Palermo, Sicily
The house has been a museum in memory of Leighton since 1898, administered by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The collections at the museum today represent items that were originally in Leighton's possession and that have been retrieved by the museum over the past century as well as loans from private donors. There are several paintings by members of the Holland Park Circle as well as the Pre-Raphaelites.
A Life of Drawing: Highlights from the Leighton House collection and Artists and Neighbours: The Holland Park Circle are both showing now at Leighton House. Visit now and check in on the gowithYamo app to claim 50 Yamos!
Leighton House in Holland Park has just reopened its doors after an £8 million refurbishment and has already drawn in the TikTok and Instagram-ers with its promise of Moorish interiors in Central London. But who was Frederick Leighton (1830–1896) and why did he decorate his home in the style of an Arabian Palace?
Commonly associated with the Pre-Raphaelites, Leighton was a member of the Holland Park Circle, an informal group of 19th century artists, among them was William Burges, the designer of the gothic Tower House nearby which is now owned by Led Zeppelin founder Jimmy Page. Like many great artists in history Leighton’s career was made possible thanks to financial backing; his father was a doctor and his grandfather had been the physician to the Russian Imperial Family, who were big spenders. The fortune his grandfather had amassed provided Leighton with a substantial allowance for life - paid to him by his father - despite his parents being sceptical of his prospects. In 1879 Leighton wrote "My parents surrounded me with every facility to learn drawing, but strongly discountenanced the idea of my being an artist unless I could be eminent in art".
Despite being born in Scarborough, Leighton was raised abroad. He studied in Berlin, Florence, and Frankfurt and lived for a few years in Paris, instilling in him a taste for travel. Leighton returned to England in the 1860s and commissioned an architect he had befriended in Rome, George Aitchison, to build him a large house to act as a studio and home. The first stage was finished in 1866 but Leighton would devote the rest of his life to extending it and completing its decoration and embellishment. 'He built the house as it now stands for his own artistic delight. Every stone of it had been the object of his loving care. It was a joy to him until the moment when he lay down to die’ wrote Leighton’s sister in 1899.
Leighton would go on to be one of the most famous British artists of the Victorian age, establishing an international standing and reputation. In 1855 Queen Victoria bought one of his paintings cementing his social status. His charm and charisma along with his good looks and cosmopolitan nature meant he was all the rage among the upper echelons of Victorian society. He moved in the same circles as foreign dignitaries and the royal family, becoming the figurehead for the resurgence in popularity of British art on the continent.
Despite - and perhaps in spite of - his success Leighton received criticism for his continental manner. His manicured demeanour was noted by his contemporaries who questioned his “Britishness”. Leighton’s first biographer, who was also conveniently his neighbour, exposed the xenophobic and racist sentiments that were expressed freely in Victorian Britain. In her 1906 biography she describes how author and cartoonist George du Maurier was 'convinced that in Leighton existed indications of foreign or Jewish blood but was quite unable to discover any facts in support of this theory and was troubled on this point'. She also describes how ‘his rapid utterance, his picturesque gesture, his very appearance were not emphatically English. Certain Englishmen who knew Leighton felt out of sympathy with him for this reason and had difficulty in recognising him as one of themselves'.
His interest in classical art and that of the Renaissance may have raised some eyebrows. His sculptures ‘Athlete wrestling with a Python’ (1877) and ‘Sluggard’ (1885) are considered masterpieces of the period, epitomising an interest in the classical idealisation of the body, particularly the male body. Leighton remained a bachelor for life which roused suspicions over his sexuality, though there were equally rumours of him having relations with his models. It has been suggested that Professor Higgins in Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, popularised by the film My Fair Lady, was based on Leighton and his favourite model Dorothy Dene.
Leighton was fluent in four languages and travelled extensively in Southern Europe as well as North Africa and the Middle East. In 1857 he made his first trip to Africa, visiting Algeria and sparking his interest in oriental architecture and design, which would lead to the construction of the Arab Hall in 1877, an extension to the house inspired by a twelfth century Arab-Norman palace called La Zisa in Palermo, Sicily
The house has been a museum in memory of Leighton since 1898, administered by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The collections at the museum today represent items that were originally in Leighton's possession and that have been retrieved by the museum over the past century as well as loans from private donors. There are several paintings by members of the Holland Park Circle as well as the Pre-Raphaelites.
A Life of Drawing: Highlights from the Leighton House collection and Artists and Neighbours: The Holland Park Circle are both showing now at Leighton House. Visit now and check in on the gowithYamo app to claim 50 Yamos!
Leighton House in Holland Park has just reopened its doors after an £8 million refurbishment and has already drawn in the TikTok and Instagram-ers with its promise of Moorish interiors in Central London. But who was Frederick Leighton (1830–1896) and why did he decorate his home in the style of an Arabian Palace?
Commonly associated with the Pre-Raphaelites, Leighton was a member of the Holland Park Circle, an informal group of 19th century artists, among them was William Burges, the designer of the gothic Tower House nearby which is now owned by Led Zeppelin founder Jimmy Page. Like many great artists in history Leighton’s career was made possible thanks to financial backing; his father was a doctor and his grandfather had been the physician to the Russian Imperial Family, who were big spenders. The fortune his grandfather had amassed provided Leighton with a substantial allowance for life - paid to him by his father - despite his parents being sceptical of his prospects. In 1879 Leighton wrote "My parents surrounded me with every facility to learn drawing, but strongly discountenanced the idea of my being an artist unless I could be eminent in art".
Despite being born in Scarborough, Leighton was raised abroad. He studied in Berlin, Florence, and Frankfurt and lived for a few years in Paris, instilling in him a taste for travel. Leighton returned to England in the 1860s and commissioned an architect he had befriended in Rome, George Aitchison, to build him a large house to act as a studio and home. The first stage was finished in 1866 but Leighton would devote the rest of his life to extending it and completing its decoration and embellishment. 'He built the house as it now stands for his own artistic delight. Every stone of it had been the object of his loving care. It was a joy to him until the moment when he lay down to die’ wrote Leighton’s sister in 1899.
Leighton would go on to be one of the most famous British artists of the Victorian age, establishing an international standing and reputation. In 1855 Queen Victoria bought one of his paintings cementing his social status. His charm and charisma along with his good looks and cosmopolitan nature meant he was all the rage among the upper echelons of Victorian society. He moved in the same circles as foreign dignitaries and the royal family, becoming the figurehead for the resurgence in popularity of British art on the continent.
Despite - and perhaps in spite of - his success Leighton received criticism for his continental manner. His manicured demeanour was noted by his contemporaries who questioned his “Britishness”. Leighton’s first biographer, who was also conveniently his neighbour, exposed the xenophobic and racist sentiments that were expressed freely in Victorian Britain. In her 1906 biography she describes how author and cartoonist George du Maurier was 'convinced that in Leighton existed indications of foreign or Jewish blood but was quite unable to discover any facts in support of this theory and was troubled on this point'. She also describes how ‘his rapid utterance, his picturesque gesture, his very appearance were not emphatically English. Certain Englishmen who knew Leighton felt out of sympathy with him for this reason and had difficulty in recognising him as one of themselves'.
His interest in classical art and that of the Renaissance may have raised some eyebrows. His sculptures ‘Athlete wrestling with a Python’ (1877) and ‘Sluggard’ (1885) are considered masterpieces of the period, epitomising an interest in the classical idealisation of the body, particularly the male body. Leighton remained a bachelor for life which roused suspicions over his sexuality, though there were equally rumours of him having relations with his models. It has been suggested that Professor Higgins in Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, popularised by the film My Fair Lady, was based on Leighton and his favourite model Dorothy Dene.
Leighton was fluent in four languages and travelled extensively in Southern Europe as well as North Africa and the Middle East. In 1857 he made his first trip to Africa, visiting Algeria and sparking his interest in oriental architecture and design, which would lead to the construction of the Arab Hall in 1877, an extension to the house inspired by a twelfth century Arab-Norman palace called La Zisa in Palermo, Sicily
The house has been a museum in memory of Leighton since 1898, administered by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The collections at the museum today represent items that were originally in Leighton's possession and that have been retrieved by the museum over the past century as well as loans from private donors. There are several paintings by members of the Holland Park Circle as well as the Pre-Raphaelites.
A Life of Drawing: Highlights from the Leighton House collection and Artists and Neighbours: The Holland Park Circle are both showing now at Leighton House. Visit now and check in on the gowithYamo app to claim 50 Yamos!
Leighton House in Holland Park has just reopened its doors after an £8 million refurbishment and has already drawn in the TikTok and Instagram-ers with its promise of Moorish interiors in Central London. But who was Frederick Leighton (1830–1896) and why did he decorate his home in the style of an Arabian Palace?
Commonly associated with the Pre-Raphaelites, Leighton was a member of the Holland Park Circle, an informal group of 19th century artists, among them was William Burges, the designer of the gothic Tower House nearby which is now owned by Led Zeppelin founder Jimmy Page. Like many great artists in history Leighton’s career was made possible thanks to financial backing; his father was a doctor and his grandfather had been the physician to the Russian Imperial Family, who were big spenders. The fortune his grandfather had amassed provided Leighton with a substantial allowance for life - paid to him by his father - despite his parents being sceptical of his prospects. In 1879 Leighton wrote "My parents surrounded me with every facility to learn drawing, but strongly discountenanced the idea of my being an artist unless I could be eminent in art".
Despite being born in Scarborough, Leighton was raised abroad. He studied in Berlin, Florence, and Frankfurt and lived for a few years in Paris, instilling in him a taste for travel. Leighton returned to England in the 1860s and commissioned an architect he had befriended in Rome, George Aitchison, to build him a large house to act as a studio and home. The first stage was finished in 1866 but Leighton would devote the rest of his life to extending it and completing its decoration and embellishment. 'He built the house as it now stands for his own artistic delight. Every stone of it had been the object of his loving care. It was a joy to him until the moment when he lay down to die’ wrote Leighton’s sister in 1899.
Leighton would go on to be one of the most famous British artists of the Victorian age, establishing an international standing and reputation. In 1855 Queen Victoria bought one of his paintings cementing his social status. His charm and charisma along with his good looks and cosmopolitan nature meant he was all the rage among the upper echelons of Victorian society. He moved in the same circles as foreign dignitaries and the royal family, becoming the figurehead for the resurgence in popularity of British art on the continent.
Despite - and perhaps in spite of - his success Leighton received criticism for his continental manner. His manicured demeanour was noted by his contemporaries who questioned his “Britishness”. Leighton’s first biographer, who was also conveniently his neighbour, exposed the xenophobic and racist sentiments that were expressed freely in Victorian Britain. In her 1906 biography she describes how author and cartoonist George du Maurier was 'convinced that in Leighton existed indications of foreign or Jewish blood but was quite unable to discover any facts in support of this theory and was troubled on this point'. She also describes how ‘his rapid utterance, his picturesque gesture, his very appearance were not emphatically English. Certain Englishmen who knew Leighton felt out of sympathy with him for this reason and had difficulty in recognising him as one of themselves'.
His interest in classical art and that of the Renaissance may have raised some eyebrows. His sculptures ‘Athlete wrestling with a Python’ (1877) and ‘Sluggard’ (1885) are considered masterpieces of the period, epitomising an interest in the classical idealisation of the body, particularly the male body. Leighton remained a bachelor for life which roused suspicions over his sexuality, though there were equally rumours of him having relations with his models. It has been suggested that Professor Higgins in Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, popularised by the film My Fair Lady, was based on Leighton and his favourite model Dorothy Dene.
Leighton was fluent in four languages and travelled extensively in Southern Europe as well as North Africa and the Middle East. In 1857 he made his first trip to Africa, visiting Algeria and sparking his interest in oriental architecture and design, which would lead to the construction of the Arab Hall in 1877, an extension to the house inspired by a twelfth century Arab-Norman palace called La Zisa in Palermo, Sicily
The house has been a museum in memory of Leighton since 1898, administered by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The collections at the museum today represent items that were originally in Leighton's possession and that have been retrieved by the museum over the past century as well as loans from private donors. There are several paintings by members of the Holland Park Circle as well as the Pre-Raphaelites.
A Life of Drawing: Highlights from the Leighton House collection and Artists and Neighbours: The Holland Park Circle are both showing now at Leighton House. Visit now and check in on the gowithYamo app to claim 50 Yamos!
Leighton House in Holland Park has just reopened its doors after an £8 million refurbishment and has already drawn in the TikTok and Instagram-ers with its promise of Moorish interiors in Central London. But who was Frederick Leighton (1830–1896) and why did he decorate his home in the style of an Arabian Palace?
Commonly associated with the Pre-Raphaelites, Leighton was a member of the Holland Park Circle, an informal group of 19th century artists, among them was William Burges, the designer of the gothic Tower House nearby which is now owned by Led Zeppelin founder Jimmy Page. Like many great artists in history Leighton’s career was made possible thanks to financial backing; his father was a doctor and his grandfather had been the physician to the Russian Imperial Family, who were big spenders. The fortune his grandfather had amassed provided Leighton with a substantial allowance for life - paid to him by his father - despite his parents being sceptical of his prospects. In 1879 Leighton wrote "My parents surrounded me with every facility to learn drawing, but strongly discountenanced the idea of my being an artist unless I could be eminent in art".
Despite being born in Scarborough, Leighton was raised abroad. He studied in Berlin, Florence, and Frankfurt and lived for a few years in Paris, instilling in him a taste for travel. Leighton returned to England in the 1860s and commissioned an architect he had befriended in Rome, George Aitchison, to build him a large house to act as a studio and home. The first stage was finished in 1866 but Leighton would devote the rest of his life to extending it and completing its decoration and embellishment. 'He built the house as it now stands for his own artistic delight. Every stone of it had been the object of his loving care. It was a joy to him until the moment when he lay down to die’ wrote Leighton’s sister in 1899.
Leighton would go on to be one of the most famous British artists of the Victorian age, establishing an international standing and reputation. In 1855 Queen Victoria bought one of his paintings cementing his social status. His charm and charisma along with his good looks and cosmopolitan nature meant he was all the rage among the upper echelons of Victorian society. He moved in the same circles as foreign dignitaries and the royal family, becoming the figurehead for the resurgence in popularity of British art on the continent.
Despite - and perhaps in spite of - his success Leighton received criticism for his continental manner. His manicured demeanour was noted by his contemporaries who questioned his “Britishness”. Leighton’s first biographer, who was also conveniently his neighbour, exposed the xenophobic and racist sentiments that were expressed freely in Victorian Britain. In her 1906 biography she describes how author and cartoonist George du Maurier was 'convinced that in Leighton existed indications of foreign or Jewish blood but was quite unable to discover any facts in support of this theory and was troubled on this point'. She also describes how ‘his rapid utterance, his picturesque gesture, his very appearance were not emphatically English. Certain Englishmen who knew Leighton felt out of sympathy with him for this reason and had difficulty in recognising him as one of themselves'.
His interest in classical art and that of the Renaissance may have raised some eyebrows. His sculptures ‘Athlete wrestling with a Python’ (1877) and ‘Sluggard’ (1885) are considered masterpieces of the period, epitomising an interest in the classical idealisation of the body, particularly the male body. Leighton remained a bachelor for life which roused suspicions over his sexuality, though there were equally rumours of him having relations with his models. It has been suggested that Professor Higgins in Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, popularised by the film My Fair Lady, was based on Leighton and his favourite model Dorothy Dene.
Leighton was fluent in four languages and travelled extensively in Southern Europe as well as North Africa and the Middle East. In 1857 he made his first trip to Africa, visiting Algeria and sparking his interest in oriental architecture and design, which would lead to the construction of the Arab Hall in 1877, an extension to the house inspired by a twelfth century Arab-Norman palace called La Zisa in Palermo, Sicily
The house has been a museum in memory of Leighton since 1898, administered by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The collections at the museum today represent items that were originally in Leighton's possession and that have been retrieved by the museum over the past century as well as loans from private donors. There are several paintings by members of the Holland Park Circle as well as the Pre-Raphaelites.
A Life of Drawing: Highlights from the Leighton House collection and Artists and Neighbours: The Holland Park Circle are both showing now at Leighton House. Visit now and check in on the gowithYamo app to claim 50 Yamos!
Leighton House in Holland Park has just reopened its doors after an £8 million refurbishment and has already drawn in the TikTok and Instagram-ers with its promise of Moorish interiors in Central London. But who was Frederick Leighton (1830–1896) and why did he decorate his home in the style of an Arabian Palace?
Commonly associated with the Pre-Raphaelites, Leighton was a member of the Holland Park Circle, an informal group of 19th century artists, among them was William Burges, the designer of the gothic Tower House nearby which is now owned by Led Zeppelin founder Jimmy Page. Like many great artists in history Leighton’s career was made possible thanks to financial backing; his father was a doctor and his grandfather had been the physician to the Russian Imperial Family, who were big spenders. The fortune his grandfather had amassed provided Leighton with a substantial allowance for life - paid to him by his father - despite his parents being sceptical of his prospects. In 1879 Leighton wrote "My parents surrounded me with every facility to learn drawing, but strongly discountenanced the idea of my being an artist unless I could be eminent in art".
Despite being born in Scarborough, Leighton was raised abroad. He studied in Berlin, Florence, and Frankfurt and lived for a few years in Paris, instilling in him a taste for travel. Leighton returned to England in the 1860s and commissioned an architect he had befriended in Rome, George Aitchison, to build him a large house to act as a studio and home. The first stage was finished in 1866 but Leighton would devote the rest of his life to extending it and completing its decoration and embellishment. 'He built the house as it now stands for his own artistic delight. Every stone of it had been the object of his loving care. It was a joy to him until the moment when he lay down to die’ wrote Leighton’s sister in 1899.
Leighton would go on to be one of the most famous British artists of the Victorian age, establishing an international standing and reputation. In 1855 Queen Victoria bought one of his paintings cementing his social status. His charm and charisma along with his good looks and cosmopolitan nature meant he was all the rage among the upper echelons of Victorian society. He moved in the same circles as foreign dignitaries and the royal family, becoming the figurehead for the resurgence in popularity of British art on the continent.
Despite - and perhaps in spite of - his success Leighton received criticism for his continental manner. His manicured demeanour was noted by his contemporaries who questioned his “Britishness”. Leighton’s first biographer, who was also conveniently his neighbour, exposed the xenophobic and racist sentiments that were expressed freely in Victorian Britain. In her 1906 biography she describes how author and cartoonist George du Maurier was 'convinced that in Leighton existed indications of foreign or Jewish blood but was quite unable to discover any facts in support of this theory and was troubled on this point'. She also describes how ‘his rapid utterance, his picturesque gesture, his very appearance were not emphatically English. Certain Englishmen who knew Leighton felt out of sympathy with him for this reason and had difficulty in recognising him as one of themselves'.
His interest in classical art and that of the Renaissance may have raised some eyebrows. His sculptures ‘Athlete wrestling with a Python’ (1877) and ‘Sluggard’ (1885) are considered masterpieces of the period, epitomising an interest in the classical idealisation of the body, particularly the male body. Leighton remained a bachelor for life which roused suspicions over his sexuality, though there were equally rumours of him having relations with his models. It has been suggested that Professor Higgins in Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, popularised by the film My Fair Lady, was based on Leighton and his favourite model Dorothy Dene.
Leighton was fluent in four languages and travelled extensively in Southern Europe as well as North Africa and the Middle East. In 1857 he made his first trip to Africa, visiting Algeria and sparking his interest in oriental architecture and design, which would lead to the construction of the Arab Hall in 1877, an extension to the house inspired by a twelfth century Arab-Norman palace called La Zisa in Palermo, Sicily
The house has been a museum in memory of Leighton since 1898, administered by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The collections at the museum today represent items that were originally in Leighton's possession and that have been retrieved by the museum over the past century as well as loans from private donors. There are several paintings by members of the Holland Park Circle as well as the Pre-Raphaelites.
A Life of Drawing: Highlights from the Leighton House collection and Artists and Neighbours: The Holland Park Circle are both showing now at Leighton House. Visit now and check in on the gowithYamo app to claim 50 Yamos!
Leighton House in Holland Park has just reopened its doors after an £8 million refurbishment and has already drawn in the TikTok and Instagram-ers with its promise of Moorish interiors in Central London. But who was Frederick Leighton (1830–1896) and why did he decorate his home in the style of an Arabian Palace?
Commonly associated with the Pre-Raphaelites, Leighton was a member of the Holland Park Circle, an informal group of 19th century artists, among them was William Burges, the designer of the gothic Tower House nearby which is now owned by Led Zeppelin founder Jimmy Page. Like many great artists in history Leighton’s career was made possible thanks to financial backing; his father was a doctor and his grandfather had been the physician to the Russian Imperial Family, who were big spenders. The fortune his grandfather had amassed provided Leighton with a substantial allowance for life - paid to him by his father - despite his parents being sceptical of his prospects. In 1879 Leighton wrote "My parents surrounded me with every facility to learn drawing, but strongly discountenanced the idea of my being an artist unless I could be eminent in art".
Despite being born in Scarborough, Leighton was raised abroad. He studied in Berlin, Florence, and Frankfurt and lived for a few years in Paris, instilling in him a taste for travel. Leighton returned to England in the 1860s and commissioned an architect he had befriended in Rome, George Aitchison, to build him a large house to act as a studio and home. The first stage was finished in 1866 but Leighton would devote the rest of his life to extending it and completing its decoration and embellishment. 'He built the house as it now stands for his own artistic delight. Every stone of it had been the object of his loving care. It was a joy to him until the moment when he lay down to die’ wrote Leighton’s sister in 1899.
Leighton would go on to be one of the most famous British artists of the Victorian age, establishing an international standing and reputation. In 1855 Queen Victoria bought one of his paintings cementing his social status. His charm and charisma along with his good looks and cosmopolitan nature meant he was all the rage among the upper echelons of Victorian society. He moved in the same circles as foreign dignitaries and the royal family, becoming the figurehead for the resurgence in popularity of British art on the continent.
Despite - and perhaps in spite of - his success Leighton received criticism for his continental manner. His manicured demeanour was noted by his contemporaries who questioned his “Britishness”. Leighton’s first biographer, who was also conveniently his neighbour, exposed the xenophobic and racist sentiments that were expressed freely in Victorian Britain. In her 1906 biography she describes how author and cartoonist George du Maurier was 'convinced that in Leighton existed indications of foreign or Jewish blood but was quite unable to discover any facts in support of this theory and was troubled on this point'. She also describes how ‘his rapid utterance, his picturesque gesture, his very appearance were not emphatically English. Certain Englishmen who knew Leighton felt out of sympathy with him for this reason and had difficulty in recognising him as one of themselves'.
His interest in classical art and that of the Renaissance may have raised some eyebrows. His sculptures ‘Athlete wrestling with a Python’ (1877) and ‘Sluggard’ (1885) are considered masterpieces of the period, epitomising an interest in the classical idealisation of the body, particularly the male body. Leighton remained a bachelor for life which roused suspicions over his sexuality, though there were equally rumours of him having relations with his models. It has been suggested that Professor Higgins in Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, popularised by the film My Fair Lady, was based on Leighton and his favourite model Dorothy Dene.
Leighton was fluent in four languages and travelled extensively in Southern Europe as well as North Africa and the Middle East. In 1857 he made his first trip to Africa, visiting Algeria and sparking his interest in oriental architecture and design, which would lead to the construction of the Arab Hall in 1877, an extension to the house inspired by a twelfth century Arab-Norman palace called La Zisa in Palermo, Sicily
The house has been a museum in memory of Leighton since 1898, administered by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The collections at the museum today represent items that were originally in Leighton's possession and that have been retrieved by the museum over the past century as well as loans from private donors. There are several paintings by members of the Holland Park Circle as well as the Pre-Raphaelites.
A Life of Drawing: Highlights from the Leighton House collection and Artists and Neighbours: The Holland Park Circle are both showing now at Leighton House. Visit now and check in on the gowithYamo app to claim 50 Yamos!
Leighton House in Holland Park has just reopened its doors after an £8 million refurbishment and has already drawn in the TikTok and Instagram-ers with its promise of Moorish interiors in Central London. But who was Frederick Leighton (1830–1896) and why did he decorate his home in the style of an Arabian Palace?
Commonly associated with the Pre-Raphaelites, Leighton was a member of the Holland Park Circle, an informal group of 19th century artists, among them was William Burges, the designer of the gothic Tower House nearby which is now owned by Led Zeppelin founder Jimmy Page. Like many great artists in history Leighton’s career was made possible thanks to financial backing; his father was a doctor and his grandfather had been the physician to the Russian Imperial Family, who were big spenders. The fortune his grandfather had amassed provided Leighton with a substantial allowance for life - paid to him by his father - despite his parents being sceptical of his prospects. In 1879 Leighton wrote "My parents surrounded me with every facility to learn drawing, but strongly discountenanced the idea of my being an artist unless I could be eminent in art".
Despite being born in Scarborough, Leighton was raised abroad. He studied in Berlin, Florence, and Frankfurt and lived for a few years in Paris, instilling in him a taste for travel. Leighton returned to England in the 1860s and commissioned an architect he had befriended in Rome, George Aitchison, to build him a large house to act as a studio and home. The first stage was finished in 1866 but Leighton would devote the rest of his life to extending it and completing its decoration and embellishment. 'He built the house as it now stands for his own artistic delight. Every stone of it had been the object of his loving care. It was a joy to him until the moment when he lay down to die’ wrote Leighton’s sister in 1899.
Leighton would go on to be one of the most famous British artists of the Victorian age, establishing an international standing and reputation. In 1855 Queen Victoria bought one of his paintings cementing his social status. His charm and charisma along with his good looks and cosmopolitan nature meant he was all the rage among the upper echelons of Victorian society. He moved in the same circles as foreign dignitaries and the royal family, becoming the figurehead for the resurgence in popularity of British art on the continent.
Despite - and perhaps in spite of - his success Leighton received criticism for his continental manner. His manicured demeanour was noted by his contemporaries who questioned his “Britishness”. Leighton’s first biographer, who was also conveniently his neighbour, exposed the xenophobic and racist sentiments that were expressed freely in Victorian Britain. In her 1906 biography she describes how author and cartoonist George du Maurier was 'convinced that in Leighton existed indications of foreign or Jewish blood but was quite unable to discover any facts in support of this theory and was troubled on this point'. She also describes how ‘his rapid utterance, his picturesque gesture, his very appearance were not emphatically English. Certain Englishmen who knew Leighton felt out of sympathy with him for this reason and had difficulty in recognising him as one of themselves'.
His interest in classical art and that of the Renaissance may have raised some eyebrows. His sculptures ‘Athlete wrestling with a Python’ (1877) and ‘Sluggard’ (1885) are considered masterpieces of the period, epitomising an interest in the classical idealisation of the body, particularly the male body. Leighton remained a bachelor for life which roused suspicions over his sexuality, though there were equally rumours of him having relations with his models. It has been suggested that Professor Higgins in Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, popularised by the film My Fair Lady, was based on Leighton and his favourite model Dorothy Dene.
Leighton was fluent in four languages and travelled extensively in Southern Europe as well as North Africa and the Middle East. In 1857 he made his first trip to Africa, visiting Algeria and sparking his interest in oriental architecture and design, which would lead to the construction of the Arab Hall in 1877, an extension to the house inspired by a twelfth century Arab-Norman palace called La Zisa in Palermo, Sicily
The house has been a museum in memory of Leighton since 1898, administered by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The collections at the museum today represent items that were originally in Leighton's possession and that have been retrieved by the museum over the past century as well as loans from private donors. There are several paintings by members of the Holland Park Circle as well as the Pre-Raphaelites.
A Life of Drawing: Highlights from the Leighton House collection and Artists and Neighbours: The Holland Park Circle are both showing now at Leighton House. Visit now and check in on the gowithYamo app to claim 50 Yamos!
Leighton House in Holland Park has just reopened its doors after an £8 million refurbishment and has already drawn in the TikTok and Instagram-ers with its promise of Moorish interiors in Central London. But who was Frederick Leighton (1830–1896) and why did he decorate his home in the style of an Arabian Palace?
Commonly associated with the Pre-Raphaelites, Leighton was a member of the Holland Park Circle, an informal group of 19th century artists, among them was William Burges, the designer of the gothic Tower House nearby which is now owned by Led Zeppelin founder Jimmy Page. Like many great artists in history Leighton’s career was made possible thanks to financial backing; his father was a doctor and his grandfather had been the physician to the Russian Imperial Family, who were big spenders. The fortune his grandfather had amassed provided Leighton with a substantial allowance for life - paid to him by his father - despite his parents being sceptical of his prospects. In 1879 Leighton wrote "My parents surrounded me with every facility to learn drawing, but strongly discountenanced the idea of my being an artist unless I could be eminent in art".
Despite being born in Scarborough, Leighton was raised abroad. He studied in Berlin, Florence, and Frankfurt and lived for a few years in Paris, instilling in him a taste for travel. Leighton returned to England in the 1860s and commissioned an architect he had befriended in Rome, George Aitchison, to build him a large house to act as a studio and home. The first stage was finished in 1866 but Leighton would devote the rest of his life to extending it and completing its decoration and embellishment. 'He built the house as it now stands for his own artistic delight. Every stone of it had been the object of his loving care. It was a joy to him until the moment when he lay down to die’ wrote Leighton’s sister in 1899.
Leighton would go on to be one of the most famous British artists of the Victorian age, establishing an international standing and reputation. In 1855 Queen Victoria bought one of his paintings cementing his social status. His charm and charisma along with his good looks and cosmopolitan nature meant he was all the rage among the upper echelons of Victorian society. He moved in the same circles as foreign dignitaries and the royal family, becoming the figurehead for the resurgence in popularity of British art on the continent.
Despite - and perhaps in spite of - his success Leighton received criticism for his continental manner. His manicured demeanour was noted by his contemporaries who questioned his “Britishness”. Leighton’s first biographer, who was also conveniently his neighbour, exposed the xenophobic and racist sentiments that were expressed freely in Victorian Britain. In her 1906 biography she describes how author and cartoonist George du Maurier was 'convinced that in Leighton existed indications of foreign or Jewish blood but was quite unable to discover any facts in support of this theory and was troubled on this point'. She also describes how ‘his rapid utterance, his picturesque gesture, his very appearance were not emphatically English. Certain Englishmen who knew Leighton felt out of sympathy with him for this reason and had difficulty in recognising him as one of themselves'.
His interest in classical art and that of the Renaissance may have raised some eyebrows. His sculptures ‘Athlete wrestling with a Python’ (1877) and ‘Sluggard’ (1885) are considered masterpieces of the period, epitomising an interest in the classical idealisation of the body, particularly the male body. Leighton remained a bachelor for life which roused suspicions over his sexuality, though there were equally rumours of him having relations with his models. It has been suggested that Professor Higgins in Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, popularised by the film My Fair Lady, was based on Leighton and his favourite model Dorothy Dene.
Leighton was fluent in four languages and travelled extensively in Southern Europe as well as North Africa and the Middle East. In 1857 he made his first trip to Africa, visiting Algeria and sparking his interest in oriental architecture and design, which would lead to the construction of the Arab Hall in 1877, an extension to the house inspired by a twelfth century Arab-Norman palace called La Zisa in Palermo, Sicily
The house has been a museum in memory of Leighton since 1898, administered by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The collections at the museum today represent items that were originally in Leighton's possession and that have been retrieved by the museum over the past century as well as loans from private donors. There are several paintings by members of the Holland Park Circle as well as the Pre-Raphaelites.
A Life of Drawing: Highlights from the Leighton House collection and Artists and Neighbours: The Holland Park Circle are both showing now at Leighton House. Visit now and check in on the gowithYamo app to claim 50 Yamos!
