Frederick Leighton was a famous painter of Victorian England, and one of my favorites. I just discovered that his house in Kensington is a museum mainly devoted to what one critic called "excessive Victorian opulence." Just my sort of thing.
The front facade of the house hardly hints at what lies behind.
The front part of the house is European in style and stocked with paintings by Leighton and his contemporaries.
Leighton's famous self portrait is part of the collection.
After a trip to Syria in 1873 Leighton built a two-room addition on the back of the house in a pseudo-Moorish style. The tiles are antiques from Syria, some of them dating to the 15th century.
I love it when artists leave behind houses that are as much their creations as any of their paintings or sculptures, and this looks like a wonderful place to visit.
My post on Leighton's life and art is
here.
The blue foyer/atrium with the statue of Narcissus made me think of Whistler's Peacock Room at the Freer Gallery. I am with you. If that were my home I would not change a thing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this.
ReplyDelete