Romeo and Juliet Home Page Shakespeare's England The Story Making Connections to the Arts Lessons [side curve]

Visual Arts
 Visual Arts

Briggs
Dicksee
Leighton
West

Film

Performing Arts
 
Literary Arts
   

The Visual Arts: Painting

Frederic, Lord Leighton

Victorian classical artist Frederic Leighton was born in Scarborough, England. Educated in Florence, Frankfurt, and Rome. His very first exhibit in 1855 was immediately successful, and as a result, Queen Victoria bought the entire exhibit. Leighton soon became a pillar of the art establishment during his time, and became president of the Royal Academy in 1878. That same year, he was knighted for his artistic achievements.

Leighton's paintings—hailed for their grace, beauty, and masterful technique—focus mainly on classical subjects, as in his paintings The Garden of the Hesperides, Antigone, and The Return of Persephone. In addition, Leighton has painted numerous works based on characters within Romeo and Juliet.

In the painting below, Leighton depicts Old Capulet and Old Montague shaking hands while Juliet lies dead with her arms around Romeo.

Reconcilation
click on image for larger view

Frederic, Lord Leighton (1830-1896)
The Reconciliation of the Montagues and Capulets over the Dead Bodies of Romeo and Juliet (1855)
Oil on canvas, 70 x 91 inches
Located in the Agnes Scott College, Decatur, Georgia Presented by Robert Vernon 1847

This 1855 painting, The Reconciliation of the Montagues and Capulets over the Dead Bodies of Romeo and Juliet is impressive in size—the painting stands almost six feet by eight feet. Its sheer size, coupled with Leighton's careful use of light, persuades passersby to observe the intense love of Romeo and Juliet and marvel at the tragedy that befell them. In the painting, the young lovers are glowing luminously in the foreground, contrasting greatly to the other figures who are shrouded in darkness.

In the following study for his painting, The Discovery of Juliet Apparently Lifeless, Leighton depicts Juliet's parents and nurse in her chamber, shocked by what appears to be a deceased Juliet.

 

click on image for larger view

Frederic, Lord Leighton (1830-1896)
Study for The Discovery of Juliet Apparently Lifeless (circa 1858)
Oil on wood, support 210 mm x 311 mm
Located in the Tate, London, England Bequeathed by Henry Vaughan, 1900 York

Although this work is merely a study for a larger painting, Leighton's talent for composition and color are quite evident.