Baron Frederic Leighton

British, 1830-1896

NationalityBritish

BiographyClassical subject painter, portraitist, and sculptor who did more to raise the stature of British art, both domestically and internationally, than any artist since Joshua Reynolds. His cosmopolitan style was formed while traveling throughout Europe with his peripatetic family. After studying art in Frankfurt, Rome, and Paris, he settled in London in 1859 and swiftly established his reputation as a rising talent. Elected an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1864, he became a full Academician in 1868 and Academy president a decade later. A leading figure in the revival of classical interests in British art, Leighton produced paintings remarkable for their monumental forms, brilliantly designed compositions, and fastidious finish. In honor of his contributions to British art, he was created a baronet in 1886 and in the last year of his life raised to the peerage, the first artist to receive that distinction.

[Great British Paintings Label Text]

Person TypeIndividual