LEIGHTON, FREDERICK, Lord (1830-9G). An English historical painter. He was horn at Scarborough, December 3, 1830, and spent much of his youth in travel. His father, a physician of means, enabled him to prosecute very ex tensive studies in painting. He began at four teen in Florence, continuing in Frankfort. Brus sels, Paris, and Rome. his chief master having been Steinle at Frankfort. His first picture, exhibited at the Royal Academy, "Cimabuc's Madonna Carried in Triumph Through Florence" 11855), made a great impression and was pur chased by the Queen. After this he spent four years in Paris. studying part of the time under Ary Scheffer. in 1858 he joined for a short time the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, his "Lemon Tree" and "Byzantine Wellhead" receiv ing the enthusiastic praises of Ruskin. He soon ceased this manner. and in 1866 his "Venus Dis robing for a Bath," one of his most admirable pictures, secured his election as associate of the Royal Academy. He became a member in 1869, and president in 1S7S, fulfilling the public func tions with especial grace. Although a bachelor, he entertained royally in his fine house at Ken sington. lie received first-class medals at Ant werp in 1885, and Paris 1S89, was an honorary member of many foreign academies and orders, and received honorary degrees from Oxford, Cambridge, and Edinburgh. In 1886 he was made a baronet, and on January 24. 1896. he was raised to the peerage as Baron Leighton of Stretton. He (lied on the following day in Lon don, and was buried in Saint Paul's Cathedral.
Leighton was a clever rather than a great artist. Ilis work is finished and painstaking, the result of study and cultiVated taste, rather than genius. His art is the equivalent of the classical art of Ingres, softened by a sort, of romantic feeling. Ilis earlier works (before 1866) in clude "Paolo and Francesca," the "Odalisque." "Dante at Verona." "Orpheus and Eurydice." Among the most important of his later paintings are: "Hercules Wrestling with Death" (1871) ; the "Condottiere;" "Summer Moon:" "Danme phoria" (1876) ; portrait of Sir Richard Burton (1S76) ; "Music Lesson" (1877) ; "Biondina" (1879) ; his own portrait (1880) , in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence; "Wedded" (1882) ; "Last Watch of ]Zero" (1887) : "Captive Andromache" (1SSS) ; "Bath of Psyche" (1890), :Milbank Museum; "Rizpah"(1S93) : "Pluenicians Trading with Britons," a decoration for the Royal Ex change. lie painted a triptych representing "Music," for the Marquand residence. New York, and the Metropolitan Museum possesses his "Lachrymre." Leighton also attempted a few pieces of sculpture with success, the best of which are "Athlete Struggling with a Python" (1877) and a "Sluggard," both in Milbank Mu seum. He also designed illustrations to George Eliot's Romola and Dalziers Bible, Ills Ad dresses to the Students of the Royal Arademy were published in 1896. Consult his biography, by Mrs. Lang (London, 1885) ; Rhys (ib., 1895).