From Publishers Weekly
An eclectic, cosmopolitan classicist, English Victorian painter Frederic Leighton (1830-1896) continues to delight and surprise with his seductively poetic visions. His carefully composed pictures of elegant women fuse implicit sensuality, gorgeous color and fantastic juxtapositions. Leighton, elected president of London's Royal Academy in 1878, trained in Florence, Berlin, Rome, Frankfurt and Paris, and by synthesizing diverse influences?Pre-Raphaelites, Venetian masters, the German Nazarene school, French classicism, etc.?he reimagined Greek mythology and the ancient world in boldly dramatic works suffused with mystery. His output includes pencil and silverpoint studies of flowers and plants, seascapes awash in elemental power, strikingly evocative portraits and naturalistic travel paintings full of exotic charm. The catalogue of an exhibition at the Royal Academy, this beautifully illustrated, full-scale reassessment, featuring essays by British art historians, should help dispel the facile stereotype of Leighton as the archetypal academic artist.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Lush, sensual figures clothed in draperies, mythical tales, exotic locales, narrative paintings, and more are part of this catalog, published for the centenary exhibition held at the Royal Academy in London earlier this year. Much more than a catalog of works, however, this volume is also a scholarly exposition of the role played in the Victorian art world by this most intriguing and accomplished man. Skillful prose explores the mind and the methods behind the works. The individual entries are splendid examples of their kind, and the illustrations superbly capture the depth of color and shadow. The subject matter and style of this fascinating study may not fit current taste, but the sensibility and depth, the color and form never fail to capture the imagination of the viewer. Highly recommended.?Paula Frosch, Metropolitan Museum of Art Lib., New York
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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