The Life, Letters and Work of Frederic Leighton Volume II Part 2

CHAPTER I

FIRST STUDIO IN LONDON

1859-1863

In 1858 Leighton was represented on the Royal Academy walls by two pictures, "The Fisherman and the Syren"--a subject from Goethe's ballad,

"Half drew she him, Half sunk he in, And never more was seen"--

and by a scene from "Romeo and Juliet," both small canvases painted in Rome and in Paris.[8]

Leighton at this time received an encouraging letter from Robert Fleury, from whom he had learned much:--

Que parlez vous de reconnaissance, mon cher Monsieur Leighton?

de l'amitie je le veux bien, et je recois, a ce t.i.tre seulement, le dessin que vous m'avez envoye. Ne me suis je pas fait plaisir en vous reconnaissant du talent et en vous rendant la justice qui vous est due? si vous m'avez donne l'occasion de vous faire part de ma vieille esperance n'est ce pas une preuve de l'estime que vous faites de mes conseils? Puisque vous m'offrez genereus.e.m.e.nt votre amitie, je l'accepte de bien bon coeur, et votre pet.i.t dessin me restera comme un gracieux souvenir de vous.

ROBERT FLEURY.

PARIS, _le 18 Mars 1858_.

In the autumn of 1858 Leighton was back in Rome, and it was at that time the King, then Prince of Wales, first visited his studio. "I myself had the advantage of knowing him (Leighton) for a great number of years--ever since I was a boy--and I need hardly say how deeply I deplore the fact that he can be no more in our midst," were the words spoken by the King--thirty-nine years after this first meeting--at the Royal Academy banquet, which took place after Leighton's death, 1st May 1897.

He worked in Rome till his pictures were finished for exhibition in the spring, 1859.

He wrote to his mother:--

It is my particular object and study to go to no parties, in the which I have succeeded admirably. I go often to Cartwright's in the evening, that don't count; now and then to Browning, now and then to the play, see a good deal of Lady h.o.a.re; and that reminds me that h.o.a.re sent you some game the other day, which, however, was returned, as you were not forthcoming. By-the-bye, when I say I have made no acquaintances of interest, that is not true; Odo Russell, son and brother of my friends, Lady William and Arthur Russell, and our diplomatic agent here, is a great friend of mine, and particularly sympathetic. I see him often at Cartwright's, who is his _alter ego_; also I know and like Miss Ogle, who wrote that (I hear) exceedingly remarkable novel, "A Lost Love." She is a country clergyman's daughter in a remote corner of Yorks.h.i.+re, and wrote this book when she had, I believe, never lived out of a circle of "kettles." She is not young, but agreeable and quaint.

I am just finis.h.i.+ng the largish studies of a very handsome model here, and am about to send them off for exhibition. They seem very popular with all who see them, and are, I think, my best things.

1859.

DEAREST MAMMY,--I find to my annoyance that I have mislaid your kind letter, so that I must answer as best I can from memory.

That the French and Austrians have been formally requested by the Pope to withdraw their troops from the States of the Church is, I have ascertained from good authority, true, though how on earth you can have known in Florence so long ago a thing which has only just happened, and which is still in great measure a secret here, is what I can't make out; but, dear Mamma, I trust this won't prevent your coming to Rome in April, as there is no chance of the evacuation being carried into effect by that time.

There will be particularly (indeed exclusively) on the side of Austria a great demur and _pourparler_, inasmuch as the consequences of this step will probably be most serious to her; so that for the next few months we need fear nothing. I trust you will come; however, of course I dread the responsibility of insisting too much. You will see how matters look in a few weeks. I am just about to despatch to the Royal Academy some studies from a very handsome model, "La Nanna." I have shown them to a good many people, artists and "Philistines," and they seem to be universally admired. Let us hope they will be well hung in the Exhibition. Talking of exhibitions, you will be rather amused to hear that my "Samson" has been _refused_ at the British Inst.i.tution, which this year is particularly weak and insignificant. It is gone in to the Suffolk Street now, unless too late. Neither I nor anybody else has the least idea what is the cause of this strongish measure. I have sent my "Negroes" to Paris, and if it is not too late the "Juliet" and "Paris" will go there also. I think they will be well hung, as they are G.o.dfathered by Mr. Montfort, my kind and valuable friend. This afternoon the Prince of Wales came to my studio, with Colonel and Mrs. Bruce, Gibson, &c. &c. Gibson spoke in the very highest terms of my pictures, so of course all the others were delighted!

_Tuesday Morning._

I have not been able to answer your letter till now, and indeed even now I am interrupting my work to do it; I will answer all your questions categorically. First, about the brigands--I have made inquiries, and have heard of nothing new since these two cases about five weeks back, and am told that now the roads may be considered safe; indeed, no time is generally so good for travelling as just after an accident of that kind, as the authorities are on the look out: if you go by _vetturino_, there will in all probability be other _vetturini_ on the road, and you will start together and arrive together from and to the different stations on the road. You quite misunderstood the sense of my letter, dear Mamma, if you imagined that I knew nothing of rumours of war, &c. &c.--so far from not knowing what is going on, I live in a hot-bed of politics, what with Cartwright and what with Odo Russell. I expressed my surprise that you should speak with confidence of the withdrawal of the French troops when the official news of the Pope's _formal request_ to that effect could not yet have reached Florence, for the reason that it had not taken place; with the Florentine politicians the wish must have been father to the thought. What really will happen is impossible to say; they won't withdraw till the Austrians do--that is pretty certain; the French, I think, like to mislead people about it. A French general told a friend of mine that in _six weeks_ they would all be gone, but _Antonelli_, who ought to be the best authority, told Odo Russell they would not go for six _months_, though the occupation has already ceased (as the _Moniteur_ expresses it) "en principe." You see, dear Mamma, that it is entirely impossible for me to give you any _definite_ information at a moment when n.o.body seems to know what is coming next. I should be very much disappointed if you could not come; if you settle to come, let me know in time to look for rooms at an Hotel, and tell me what you expect to give. My work would not allow me to go to Florence. My pictures for the R.A. this year are three portraits in different sizes and att.i.tudes from the same model, all _dressed_--one a small half-length, the other a kit-cat, the third a small head the size of my hand--this I have sold to Lady h.o.a.re for forty guineas. It has been much coveted--Lady Stratford de Redcliffe wanted a repet.i.tion (I never do repet.i.tions), and Mrs. Phipps seemed quite distressed it was sold. The Prince and his party told O. Russell they liked my studio better than any they had seen in Rome. My "Pan" and "Venus" are stowed away in London.

Besides the three portraits of a model mentioned in his letter, exhibited at the Royal Academy, 1859, Leighton sent "Samson and Delilah" to Suffolk Street. For studies of this picture, see Leighton House Collection.

Later, from Naples, he wrote:--

_Wednesday Morning, 1859._

I scribble two lines in haste before starting to Capri to announce my safe arrival here in the middle of the day on Monday. I found here several letters from England; but, as I had presumed, that report about the sale of all my pictures was a _canard_. Lord Lansdowne wishes very much for a repet.i.tion of my small profile of Nanna, but as I refused to make one for Lady Stratford, I of course can't for him. George de Monbrison has very kindly consented to give up his Nanna to the Prince,[9] but is evidently sadly disappointed--so much so, that I have written to offer to do what I could not under any other circ.u.mstances, _i.e._ copy it for him.

This place is in great beauty. I have been received with the greatest hospitality by the Hollands, with whom I have dined and supped both days.

Yesterday I breakfasted with Augustus Craven,[10] who photographed me. He is a great adept at this art, and devotes much time to it. He has a most lovely house here, looking out on to the sea.

I have nothing to add for the present, and I will write again from Capri.

This visit to Capri produced the famous drawing of the Lemon Tree.[11]

Mr. Ruskin wrote: "Two perfect early drawings are of 'A Lemon Tree'

and of a 'Byzantine Well'" (see List of Ill.u.s.trations), "which determine for you without appeal the question respecting necessity of delineation as the first skill of a painter. Of all our present masters, Sir Frederic Leighton delights most in softly-blended colours, and his ideal of beauty is more nearly that of Correggio than any since Correggio's time. But you see by what precision of terminal outline he at first restrained and exalted his gift of beautiful _vaghezza_." In letters to Leighton, Ruskin refers to these drawings:--

1860.

DEAR LEIGHTON,--Unless I write again I shall hope to breakfast with you on Friday, and see and know evermore how a lemon differs from an orange leaf. In cases of doubtful temper, might the former more gracefully and appropriately be used for bridal chaplet?--Most truly yours,

J. RUSKIN.

_15th December 1882._

DEAR LEIGHTON,--Of course I want the lemon-tree! but surely you didn't offer it me before? May I come on Tuesday afternoon for both? and I hope to bring "Golden Water," but I hear there's some confusion between the Academy and the Burlington Club.

"Golden Water" is perhaps too small a drawing for the Academy--but you'll see.

I wish the lecture on sculpture you gave that jury the other day had been to a larger audience, and I one of them.--Ever affectionately yours,

J. RUSKIN.

_17th November._

DEAR LEIGHTON,--I brought up the "Byzantine Well,"[12] but was forced to trust my friend, John Simon, to bring it across the Park to you, and then forbid him till I wrote you this note, asking you to spare a moment to show him the "Damascus Gla.s.s and Arab Fountain." He is, as you know, a man of great eminence, with a weakness for _painting_, which greatly hinders him in his science.--Ever your loving,

J.R.

I can't get lectures printed yet.

With reference to differences of opinion which had arisen between them on certain art questions, Ruskin wrote in 1879: "I expected so much help from you after those orange (lemon) trees of yours!" Later (1883) he wrote: "The Pre-Raphaelite schism, and most of all, Turner's death, broke my relations with the Royal Academy. I hope they may in future be kinder; its President (Leighton) has just sent me two lovely drawings (the 'Lemon Tree' and the 'Byzantine Well') for the Oxford Schools, and, I think, feels with me as to all the main principles of Art education."

After his visit to Capri Leighton returned to London. He stayed with Mr. Henry Greville, and while there wrote to his mother the following letters:--

19 QUEEN STREET, _Wednesday Morning, 1859_.

I have so far altered my plans that I stay on until Sat.u.r.day morning instead of going to-morrow with Mrs. Sartoris as I had intended. I have still a call or two to make, and, besides, am going to dine to-morrow with Mario and spend the evening of Friday at Lord Lansdowne's, whose invitation I got though I had not called on him. I suppose that a card was sent me because my name was on the old list. I have since met him (at Henry's party), and he made himself very amiable, renewing the invitation by word of mouth. I have just been spending two or three days at Old Windsor with Miss Thackeray, who has been kindness itself as usual; the weather was divine, and we took exquisite drives. Chorley[13] also has been a kind friend to me; he took me twice to the Handel Festival, seating me, conveying me, breakfasting me, and, but that I was engaged, would have dined me. The Festival was, as you have no doubt read in the papers, most successful, the choruses, considering the enormous difficulty of training such ma.s.ses of people (2000!) were excellent; the quant.i.ty of sound produced was, of course, enormous, still there was no _din_, nothing stunning, only an exceedingly dense and close-textured quality of sound. The solo singers varied in excellence. Clara Novello shone by the quality of her voice, which carries any distance, and by the correctness of her singing, but to me she is entirely without charm, and left me as cold after the great song of the Nativity in the "Messiah" as if she had not sung at all. Miss Dolby sang well throughout; she was remarkable for the excessive decorum and simplicity of her singing. She finishes a phrase with great breadth; her voice, to some people disagreeable, is to me very _simpatica_, and she gave me altogether the greatest pleasure.

Sims Reeves, whom but a few days back I heard sing so badly at Liverpool, astounded me here by the remarkable care and study he brought to bear on his solos. He sang in the "Messiah,"

beginning with "Behold and see if there be any sorrow," &c. He sang exquisitely; and in the "Israel" he sang "The enemy said"