Edmund Leighton Works. A wonderful selection of paintings by Edmund Blair Leighton

I did not find publications about this artist on the site and I think this is unfair. One way or another, we all saw his work in posters, reproductions or illustrations for something, it's time to get to know him better. Lively, detailed paintings, emotions expressed by chiaroscuro - a true classical artist!

Edmund Blair-Layton (1853 - 1922) painted mainly historical subjects from the Middle Ages and the Regency. He is one of the most popular Pre-Raphaelite painters, and his paintings are often reproduced as reproductions and posters. But, like Waterhouse and Herbert Draper, Layton's personality is practically lost to us. The reasons for such a long-term popularity of the artist's works are not difficult to understand, since they are a reflection of the direction of his whole life, namely, nostalgia for an elegant, gallant past. Layton was also a master of meticulous detail, his pieces are well drawn, detailed, richly decorated and look complete.

Accolade

Call to arms

It turned out that the artist did not leave any diaries, and it is quite difficult to find a mention of him in the biographies of that time. Although his work has been exhibited at the Royal Academy for over 40 years, he has never been an academic or corresponding member. The following information is all we have been able to gather regarding the "elusive Layton".

Layton was born on September 21, 1853 in London, the son of the artist Charles Blair-Layton.
He received his education at a university college, later he entered the Royal Academy as a student.
In 1885 Layton married Katherine Nash; they had a son and a daughter.

God help!

Annually (from 1878 to 1920) Layton's work was exhibited at the Royal Academy.
Layton was, as one might guess from his period paintings, a collector of antique musical instruments, antique art and furniture. He lived at 14 Priory Road (Bedford Park, London), where he died on September 1, 1922.

Vox Populi - Voice of the People

In troubled times

conquest

Tristan and Isolde

Banner sewing

Shadow

Defeated

Hostage

The English painter Edmund Blair Leighton painted in a manner close to the Pre-Raphaelites, although he was not a member of the famous Brotherhood. The artist should rather be called a follower of this direction, adopting his style. Undoubtedly, the influence of romanticism on the worldview of Leighton, the manner of his writing.

Today, the paintings of the famous Briton are no less in demand than in the days of his lifetime heyday of popularity. Love for Leighton's work is so high that reproductions of his paintings become the property of many private and public collections. The artist's works are still perceived as an example of high artistic skill, unsurpassed professionalism.

Features of creativity

The work of one of the most mysterious masters of the early 20th century has several directions. The most famous are the historical works of Edmund Blair Leighton, devoted not only to real, but also to mythological subjects. Nostalgia for the past - heroic, romantic, gallant - this could be the subject of the artist's interest throughout his life.

Elegance and sophistication are signs of the style of one of the most sought-after artists of the last century and our days. The work of Edmund Blair Leighton is characterized by extreme detail and absolute completeness. Story line each painting brought to the utmost completeness. A recognizable feature of Leighton's style is magnificent decoration, indispensable signs of luxury and a romantic worldview.

The artist's heart is given to red-haired beauties. It was this type of female beauty that attracted the artist the most. Tenderness, sophistication, a combination of dominance and meekness, passion and innocence - this is how women appear on Leighton's canvases. The details of the costume are written out with the greatest care. Dresses, scarves, hairstyles, ribbons, lace collars, tiaras - all this splendor accurately conveys the spirit of real or mythological time.

Another recognizable sign of paintings on medieval themes is musical instruments, antiques and vintage furniture. Their artist collected and often depicted in his paintings. The magic that springs from Leighton with the masters of previous eras is the magnificently painted light on the canvases of the brilliant Briton. Working with light makes his work extremely realistic, making it possible to fully convey all the shades and nuances of the surroundings of the characters in his paintings.

The heroism and romance of the Middle Ages made the artist's paintings so popular that they were exhibited throughout his life in the halls of the Royal Academy. And this despite the fact that Leighton was not a full member either in the rank of academician or in any other capacity. The Academy recognized the talent of its former student so high that it allowed the artist's paintings to be exhibited for forty years without any additional conditions.

However, the Middle Ages and the Regency are not the only historical themes Leighton's work. He wrote magnificent genre scenes dedicated to Victorian era and contemporary artist. A detail characteristic of the paintings of this direction is an elegant hat.

The image of a woman-bride, a widow or an innocent girl, a charming young woman, an aristocrat or (more rarely) a simpleton - that's what throughout his life invariably captivated the artist's heart. Hymn female beauty, strength, passion sounds from many of Leighton's paintings. Other details are finely drawn: boats, wooden piers, flower gardens, courtyards, pastoral landscapes. They are distinguished by amazing grace, lightness, musicality, penetrating the artistic fabric of each canvas.

Artist biography

Edmund Blair Leighton, one of the most talented masters of his time, was born in 1835. A native Londoner, he absorbed the spirit of the English aristocracy and sophisticated secularism from childhood. His father, Charles Blair Leighton, was quite famous artists, so the boy's talent developed in favorable conditions. It is the father that can be called the first teacher of young Edmund. Leighton later became a student at the Royal Academy, in the last twelve years of his life the Royal Institution oil painting counted him as one of his honored members.

Information about real life Edmund Blair Leighton is so small that they are limited to the dates of birth, death, the name of the wife, who became Catherine Nash, and information about the birth of two children, a son and a daughter. It is also known that the artist ended his life in London, in a house near Bedford Park. And this is all the more surprising because during his lifetime the name of Leighton was known, and his brilliant works enjoyed the legitimate and unchanging love of art connoisseurs. There are no autobiographical records, no information about the artist as presented by the biographers of his time. This makes Layton related to such masters as Herbert Draper and Waterhouse.

The last documentary evidence concerns the death of the artist. There is an obituary published at the beginning of 1923, the author of which voiced the idea of the artist's chivalrous romanticism and the great role that he played for his time.

September, one of the most romantic months, gave birth to Edmund Blair Leighton: on September 21, the future British painting was born. This autumn month ended the life of the artist: on September 1, 1922, Edmond Blair Leighton died.

The artistic and historical value of the paintings of Edmund Blair Leighton is so high that it allows them to be included in the golden background of the world visual arts along with the paintings of the great masters of the brush.

(1853-09-21 ) Date of death: Genre: Studies: Style: Works at Wikimedia Commons

Biography

Leighton was the son of the painter Charles Blair Leighton. He trained at University College School and later at the School of the Royal Academy of Arts. Leighton married Catherine Nash in 1885 and had a son and a daughter. He exhibited his work annually at the Royal Academy from 1920 to 1920.

Layton was a sophisticated craftsman, creating carefully drawn, decorative paintings. He left no diaries behind him, and although he exhibited at the Academy for over forty years, he was never a member or supporter.

Themes

Leighton wrote in historical genre, giving preference to the themes of the Middle Ages and the Regency era.

List of works

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Notes

Excerpt characterizing Leighton, Edmund

- How did you think? Look what the people are saying.
There were questions and answers. The kisser, taking advantage of the increase in the crowd, lagged behind the people and returned to his tavern.
The tall fellow, not noticing the disappearance of his enemy the kisser, waving his bare hand, did not stop talking, thus drawing everyone's attention to himself. The people mainly pressed against him, assuming from him to obtain permission from all the questions that occupied them.
- He show the order, show the law, the authorities have been put on that! Is that what I say, Orthodox? said the tall fellow, smiling slightly.
- He thinks, and there are no bosses? Is it possible without a boss? And then rob it is not enough of them.
- What an empty talk! - echoed in the crowd. - Well, they will leave Moscow then! They told you to laugh, and you believed. How many of our troops are coming. So they let him in! For that boss. There, listen to what the people are doing, - they said, pointing to a tall fellow.
At the wall of China Town, another small group of people surrounded a man in a frieze overcoat, holding paper in his hands.
- Decree, decree read! Decree read! - was heard in the crowd, and the people rushed to the reader.
A man in a frieze overcoat was reading a poster dated August 31st. When the crowd surrounded him, he seemed to be embarrassed, but at the demand of the tall fellow who squeezed his way up to him, with a slight trembling in his voice, he began to read the poster from the beginning.
“Tomorrow I’m going early to the most serene prince,” he read (brightening! - solemnly, smiling with his mouth and frowning his eyebrows, repeated the tall fellow), “to talk with him, act and help the troops exterminate the villains; we will also become a spirit from them ... - the reader continued and stopped (“Did you see it?” - the small one shouted triumphantly. - He will unleash the whole distance for you ...”) ... - eradicate and send these guests to hell; I’ll come back for dinner, and we’ll get down to business, we’ll do it, we’ll finish it and finish off the villains. ”
The last words were read by the reader in perfect silence. The tall fellow lowered his head sadly. It was obvious that no one understood these last words. In particular, the words: "I'll arrive tomorrow at dinner," apparently even upset both the reader and the listeners. The understanding of the people was tuned to a high tune, and this was too simple and needlessly understandable; it was the very thing that each of them could have said, and that therefore a decree from a higher authority could not speak.
Everyone stood in gloomy silence. The tall fellow moved his lips and staggered.
“I should have asked him! .. Is he himself? two mounted dragoons.
The police chief, who went that morning on the count's order to burn the barges, and, on the occasion of this commission, bailed out a large sum of money that was in his pocket at that moment, seeing a crowd of people advancing towards him, ordered the coachman to stop.
- What kind of people? he shouted at the people, who were approaching the droshky, scattered and timid. - What kind of people? I'm asking you? repeated the chief of police, who received no answer.
“They, your honor,” said the clerk in a frieze overcoat, “they, your honor, at the announcement of the most illustrious count, not sparing their stomachs, wanted to serve, and not just some kind of rebellion, as it was said from the most illustrious count ...
“The count has not left, he is here, and there will be an order about you,” said the chief of police. – Went! he said to the coachman. The crowd stopped, crowding around those who had heard what the authorities said, and looking at the departing droshky.
The police chief at this time looked around in fright, said something to the coachman, and his horses went faster.
- Cheating, guys! Lead to yourself! shouted the voice of the tall fellow. - Don't let go, guys! Let him submit a report! Hold on! shouted the voices, and the people ran after the droshky.
The crowd behind the police chief with a noisy conversation headed for the Lubyanka.
“Well, gentlemen and merchants have left, and that’s why we’re disappearing?” Well, we are dogs, eh! – was heard more often in the crowd.

On the evening of September 1, after his meeting with Kutuzov, Count Rastopchin, upset and offended that he was not invited to the military council, that Kutuzov did not pay any attention to his proposal to take part in the defense of the capital, and surprised by the new look that opened to him in the camp , in which the question of the calmness of the capital and its patriotic mood turned out to be not only secondary, but completely unnecessary and insignificant - upset, offended and surprised by all this, Count Rostopchin returned to Moscow. After supper, the count, without undressing, lay down on the couch and at one o'clock was awakened by a courier who brought him a letter from Kutuzov. The letter said that since the troops were retreating to the Ryazan road beyond Moscow, would it be desirable for the count to send police officials to lead the troops through the city. This news was not news to Rostopchin. Not only from yesterday's meeting with Kutuzov on Poklonnaya Hill, but even from the Battle of Borodino itself, when all the generals who came to Moscow unanimously said that it was impossible to give another battle, and when, with the permission of the count, state property was already taken out every night and the inhabitants left halfway, Count Rostopchin knew that Moscow would left; but nevertheless this news, reported in the form of a simple note with an order from Kutuzov and received at night, during the first dream, surprised and annoyed the count.

Edmund Blair Leighton (Eng. Edmund Blair Leighton; September 21, 1853 - September 1, 1922) - English artist who wrote in the style of romanticism and pre-Raphaelitism.
The English painter Edmund Blair Leighton painted in a manner close to the Pre-Raphaelites, although he was not a member of the famous Brotherhood. The artist should rather be called a follower of this direction, adopting his style. Undoubtedly, the influence of romanticism on the worldview of Leighton, the manner of his writing.
Today, the paintings of the famous Briton are no less in demand than in the days of his lifetime heyday of popularity. Love for Leighton's work is so high that reproductions of his paintings become the property of many private and public collections. The artist's works are still perceived as an example of high artistic skill, unsurpassed professionalism.
Edmund Blair Leighton, one of the most talented masters of his time, was born in 1835. A native Londoner, he absorbed the spirit of the English aristocracy and sophisticated secularism from childhood. His father, Charles Blair Leighton, was a fairly well-known artist, so the boy's talent developed under favorable conditions. It is the father that can be called the first teacher of young Edmund. Leighton later became a student at the Royal Academy, and for the last twelve years of his life, the Royal Institute of Oil Painting counted him as one of its honorary members.